Napoli reached the Supercoppa Italiana final with a controlled 2-0 victory over AC Milan at Al-Awwal Park, easing recent pressure on Antonio Conte while key players remained unavailable and the team came
into the match on the back of successive defeats in all competitions.
Conte highlighted the response from the squad after setbacks against Benfica and Udinese, noting that Napoli travelled to Riyadh without Frank Anguissa, Billy Gilmour, Kevin De Bruyne and Alex Meret, yet still produced a composed display that moved the club level with Roma on six Supercoppa final appearances.
Selection problems again shaped Conte’s decisions, with three changes made from the side beaten by Udinese and Eljif Elmas pushed into a more attacking midfield position, while Romelu Lukaku was named among the substitutes for the first time this season after four months out with a thigh injury.
David Neres broke the deadlock in the 39th minute after sustained Napoli pressure, and on-loan Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund added a second just after the hour, finishing low into the bottom-right corner after spinning away from Koni De Winter to become the first Danish scorer in an Italian Super Cup match.
Neres and Hojlund, Napoli’s most productive attackers this season across all competitions, again delivered in Riyadh, with Neres now on four goals and four assists and Hojlund on seven goals and two assists in the 2025-26 campaign after both found the net against Milan.
Conte underlined how the schedule and reduced options have affected performances, while stressing the approach would not change, saying: "I realise it is boring to repeat the same things, but when you play every three days with very few players available, it's inevitable that there will be some setbacks," Conte said. "It's what happened last week and could well happen in the future. We wanted to play a strong performance against a great team full of talented players. Our style of football is very energetic and demanding, we don't just try to defend and counter. I am glad because these lads showed they want to challenge for this trophy. "
The Napoli boss felt the team recovered their intensity after looking drained in earlier matches, explaining: "We are doing alright physically, but it is inevitable that so many games saps your energy," continued Conte. "We paid a price for the recent wins, as we were drained against Benfica and in the second half by Udinese, but today we moved very well as a team unit. When we manage to work as a team, regardless of who is playing, then we are competitive. We've got to continue like this going forward. Those who were injured are still out, but the new players are now more involved than they were earlier in the season. I always said that I expected this to be a complicated campaign, but I didn't expect this many injuries. "
Full time: #NapoliMilan 2-0 Siamo in finale!!! #ForzaNapoliSempre pic.twitter.com/6iPFUlSpkOOfficial SSC Napoli (@sscnapoli) December 18, 2025
Napoli Supercoppa Italiana record and forward options
This latest victory moved Napoli alongside Roma on six all-time Supercoppa Italiana final appearances, with only Juventus on 17, AC Milan and Inter both on 13 and Lazio on eight now ahead of the Scudetto holders in the competition’s overall ranking.
Conte was cautious when asked about a possible Hojlund and Lukaku partnership after Lukaku’s return to the bench, responding: "First of all, let's try to get Romelu back to full fitness," Conte said of a potential partnership between Hojlund and Lukaku. "He is such an important player for us, with so much experience. Just having him on the bench is important. I hope that we have many more games to play, so both will have chances. We are doing what we need to do now. There are players who are adapting to different roles, so I am getting a good response from everyone. "
Napoli now look ahead to the Supercoppa Italiana final with renewed belief, having shown tactical discipline, depth in attack through Neres and Hojlund and increased involvement from newer squad members, while Conte continues to manage a heavy calendar and an extensive injury list.
