Antonio Conte and Napoli find themselves mired in a game of blame after suffering yet another defeat, this time a second consecutive loss to Lazio.
The 2022/23 Serie A champions endured a disheartening defeat in front of their home crowd, leaving the veteran Italian tactician visibly frustrated.
Conte, who initially seemed to be rejuvenating the Partenopei, has now seen his side struggle to impose themselves in recent matches. These struggles were on full display during their disappointing loss to Lazio.
Reacting to the aftermath of the unsavoury defeat, the Napoli coach, clearly displeased with his team’s performance, appeared to point fingers at Romelu Lukaku and the rest of his attacking unit as key contributors to the loss.
Conte subtly blames Lukaku, others for Napoli’s loss
Speaking after his side's defeat, as reported by Napoli Zone, the 55-year-old voiced his overall disappointment with his team's performance, particularly in the final third.
“I know we are on the right track, and inevitably, there will be some bumps along the way—there will be more in the future—but I saw a team that is aggressive and wants to control the game. What we need is more quality in the final third."
"For the amount of time we spend in the opponent’s final third, we score too little. We’re working hard to improve that. Even on set pieces, the players need to go in believing they can score. We have to be ruthless, and there’s room for improvement."
"The solution lies in involving more players in the final third. We were late to many balls, and it’s not just about the forwards but also the midfielders. We need to work harder and aim for more quality in the final pass."
#Napoli losses this season:
— Napoli Zone (@TheNapoliZone) December 8, 2024
❌0-1 to Lazio
❌ 3-0 to Lazio
❌ 0-3 to Atalanta
❌ 3-1 to Hellas Verona pic.twitter.com/vm4iFNM54E
"In the final third, we could have done much better, and we’re working hard to improve that aspect. That’s where quality and talent make the difference, as we saw with Isaksen’s goal.”
Conte’s comments appear to include a subtle critique of his attackers, particularly Romelu Lukaku, who was signed to replace Victor Osimhen.
While Lukaku made a strong start in his early games for Napoli, his form has since declined. According to FotMob, despite playing 89 minutes in the match, the 31-year-old failed to register a single shot or make any meaningful impact during the encounter.
Conte’s remarks have sparked swirling reactions, many of which have reignited debate over the harsh treatment and subsequent departure of Osimhen—a decision Conte himself has previously admitted to be sorry about.
