Napoli start 2026 in style at the Olimpico, but Conte’s warning on January transfers and squad depth sounds louder than ever
Napoli opened 2026 in the best possible way, beating Lazio 2–0 at the Olimpico and holding firm at the top of the Serie A table. A performance built on control, physical intensity, and tactical clarity—exactly the kind of win that reflects the imprint of Antonio Conte.
“I have to congratulate the team,” Conte said after the match. “In such a difficult game, we played with great technical cleanliness and physical strength, conceding very little. We were prepared and delivered a performance of very high quality.”
Against Lazio, Napoli looked mature and confident, confirming their excellent run of form despite a squad stretched thin by injuries.
Neres concern and a shrinking rotation
The only negative note from the evening was the injury to David Neres, whose condition will be assessed in the coming days.
“We have to wait until tomorrow and see how serious it is,” Conte explained. “We hope it’s nothing major, because this season we’ve been dealing with big absences for a long time now.”
And that concern ties directly into what lies ahead. Napoli are about to enter a demanding stretch of fixtures.
“We’re starting to collect important wins, with a high level of quality,” Conte said. “But now we’ll be playing every three days, and the rotations are limited. I know it won’t be easy, and we hope we won’t pay the price for it.”
Solid Napoli, but room to be more ruthless
Conte was largely satisfied with his team’s performance, even hinting that the scoreline could have been wider.
“When you have time to prepare matches, you try to bring out the best in your players and find the spaces to hurt the opponent. The interpretation of the game was exceptional. If we had scored one more goal, nobody would have complained. Maybe that’s something we’re still missing—we could be more clinical going forward.”
Given the absences and the short squad, Conte underlined how unexpected Napoli’s consistency has been.
“Considering all the injuries and the limited options, not many people would have imagined we could do things like this. That makes me really happy.”
January market? Conte refuses to engage
January is traditionally the month of the winter transfer window, but Conte made it very clear he has no intention of discussing it.
“I won’t touch on that subject,” he said bluntly. “Last year I said, ‘Let’s not do any damage’… and then Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was sold.”
A remark that sounded more like a warning than a joke.
“The club knows my thoughts,” Conte continued. “Everyone can see what we’re doing and with which players. Everyone knows the recovery timelines of the injured guys. My job is to coach and get the best out of the resources I have. The expectations on me are always extremely high, so I and the whole team will always give our maximum.”
Napoli’s 2–0 win in Rome sends a clear message to the rest of Serie A. Conte’s team is strong, organized, and competitive—but also walking a fine line between ambition and vulnerability. And as the transfer window opens, his silence speaks just as loudly as his words.
