Napoli manager Antonio Conte has embraced the challenge of the Scudetto battle ahead of their encounter with Empoli on Monday.
The Partenopei are six points behind champions Inter Milan who extended their advantage at the top with a 3-1 win over Cagliari on Saturday.
Napoli, having lost just once in their last 16 league games, missed the chance to take advantage of Inter’s draw with Parma last week when Bologna held them to a disappointing draw.
Speaking ahead of Monday’s must-win encounter at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium, Conte believes his side must not underestimate their opponents who are yet to win in the league in 2025.
He said: “There are dangers in every game, as from now to the end of the campaign, every team has an objective it needs to achieve, whether it’s fighting for safety, a place in Europe or the Scudetto
We’ve been fairly consistent this season. There were spells where we had a run of consecutive victories, but the fact is that we are up there, which means our journey has been a very good one”, the former Chelsea boss continued.
“Empoli will come here with knives drawn, so it is a very difficult fixture, as every point can be the difference between safety and relegation at this stage.”
A win on Monday will reduce the deficit to three points ahead of the final six fixtures of the season as the two-way battle for the league intensifies, although Conte believes his side have performed beyond expectations this season.
“We are the direct antagonists of Inter, and will try to do something extraordinary to put that pressure on them.
It means we are doing remarkably well, in a situation where we are asked to go beyond our capabilities to keep up with a team that has proven it is built to win everything in Europe, too”, Conte continued.
“It’s a good pressure to have. There is enthusiasm among the fans, the dream of competing for the Scudetto is firing them up. We earned this pressure, this battle of nerves, and we must also enjoy fighting for something important.”
Napoli host Empoli on Monday night before traveling to face relegation-threatened Monza next Saturday, as they look to keep the heat on Inter Milan.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
