Antonio Conte has responded to criticism of Napoli, arguing that expectations were unrealistically high as they prepare for their Champions League match against Eintracht Frankfurt. Despite a recent 0-0 draw with Como in Serie A, Napoli maintains a one-point lead at the top of the league. However, their recent goal-scoring form has been questioned, having scored more than once in only one of their last four league matches.
Conte remains unfazed by these criticisms and believes scrutiny is inevitable regardless of Napoli's performance. "Someone must have been scoring. We're top of the table," he stated. He pointed out that before their last two matches, there were concerns about defensive solidity. Now, after keeping two clean sheets, the focus
has shifted to their attack. Conte feels critics are always looking for flaws.
Conte highlighted the challenges faced by Napoli this season, including injuries to key players like Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne. Despite these setbacks, Napoli remains competitive in Serie A. Conte expressed frustration over inflated expectations that every new signing would transform the team. "Expectations were absurdly inflated; we were supposed to dominate everyone," he remarked.
Napoli's struggles extend to the Champions League, where they have earned just three points so far. Their last match resulted in a heavy 6-2 defeat against PSV, adding pressure on Conte. Despite this, he remains optimistic about facing Eintracht Frankfurt, having previously been unbeaten against them with Tottenham.
Conte believes that Serie A is on par with the Bundesliga in terms of quality. When asked if the Bundesliga was superior, he said, "I don't think we are behind the Bundesliga; the level is about the same. " He acknowledged that while Bayern Munich operates at a different level due to their resources and infrastructure, other German teams like Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund are comparable to Napoli.
Despite all challenges this season, Conte praised his team for staying competitive at the top of Serie A standings. He noted that Napoli's success seems to unsettle others: "Napoli fighting for the top spots bothers people. " He emphasised unity within the team as crucial for navigating a tough season ahead.
Conte also addressed concerns about goal-scoring by highlighting Frank Anguissa's improvement from last season: "How many more goals has [Frank] Anguissa scored? Three more than last season. " For him, winning remains paramount despite any perceived shortcomings in attack.
As Napoli prepares for their next challenge against Eintracht Frankfurt in Europe’s elite competition, Conte remains confident in his team's abilities despite recent setbacks both domestically and internationally.
