Napoli coach confirms Champions League qualification was the minimum target after “a very complicated season”
Antonio Conte has strongly hinted that a major decision about his future at SSC Napoli has already been made, revealing he has already spoken privately with club president Aurelio De Laurentiis.
Speaking after Napoli secured qualification for next season’s Champions League, Conte confirmed discussions with the club hierarchy are already underway.
“The president knows very well what I think—he has known since day one,” Conte said.
“We are waiting. The club is already working on the future.”
The Napoli coach made it clear he does not intend to publicly reveal his decision yet out of respect for De Laurentiis.
“I spoke with him a month ago and explained my thoughts and my intentions. I won’t say anything publicly because I don’t want to disrespect the president, especially because we have a relationship based on friendship.”
“The Champions League was not guaranteed”
Conte stressed that qualifying for Europe’s top competition should not be taken for granted considering the difficulties Napoli faced throughout the season.
“We qualified for the Champions League and it was absolutely not obvious in these conditions,” he explained.
The former Italy and Juventus coach reminded everyone he had warned supporters at the start of the campaign that this would be a difficult year.
“In my first interview at Dimaro, I told everyone this would be a complicated season.”
Conte pointed to the enormous squad overhaul and a devastating injury crisis as the biggest obstacles.
“I expected many new players to arrive, but I did not expect so many serious injuries—players missing for four or five months. That changes everything.”
“We stayed alive”
Despite the setbacks, Conte praised his players for keeping Napoli competitive throughout the season.
“Congratulations to the players, especially those who stayed fit and helped us remain near the top of the table,” he said.
The coach also thanked the supporters for understanding the difficulties the squad faced.
“I also thank the curva because they truly understood our sacrifices and difficulties. The players always fought for the shirt, even if not everyone recognized it.”
Regret over Europe, pride over resilience
Conte admitted there is still disappointment over Napoli’s Champions League campaign, particularly the elimination against Copenhagen.
“There is regret about Europe, especially the match in Copenhagen that prevented us from advancing,” he said.
“But we were in a full emergency situation.”
Even so, he believes the overall season remains positive considering the circumstances.
“We are still alive and we achieved the fundamental objective for a club like Napoli: staying competitive and challenging the top clubs.”
“Finishing second would be the icing on the cake”
Although Conte had previously downplayed the importance of second place, he acknowledged it would represent another significant achievement.
“We qualified for the Champions League and won the Supercoppa. Finishing behind Inter would be the icing on the cake.”
The Napoli coach underlined how difficult it remains to consistently win trophies at the club.
“Winning in Naples is not comparable to any other environment.”
Now, however, attention turns to the future—and whether Conte will still be leading Napoli next season remains the biggest question of all.
