Milan, Oct 23 (AP) - Antonio Conte is adopting the persona of a “tiger tamer” as he aims to fire up his Napoli squad for a pivotal Serie A tie against his old club, Inter Milan, this Saturday.
Coming off the back of a disheartening 6-2 defeat against PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League, Napoli faces Inter at a challenging time. That loss marked the first occasion that a Conte-led side has been hit for six goals in a single match.
Uncharacteristically composed on the sidelines during that game, Conte has taken responsibility for not being his usual fervent self. “I always try to help my players,” Conte remarked. “Certainly, it was my fault that I was less aggressive on the bench and we lost 6-2. Next time I'll bring the whip and a stool like a tiger tamer.”
It's been a difficult spell for the defending champions Napoli, suffering consecutive defeats after last weekend’s loss to Torino in Serie A. The club is wrestling with an injury crisis, as well as the challenge of integrating summer signings.
“We've added nine new players, and that has cost us in terms of chemistry,” Conte explained. “The seasoned players, including myself, need to rediscover our spirit, while the newcomers must learn to fit in and remain humble and quiet.”
On a brighter note, Napoli welcomed back Scott McTominay against PSV, while Rasmus Hojlund looks set to return from injury against Inter. However, Romelu Lukaku, Stanislav Lobotka, and Amir Rrahmani remain out.
Napoli, Inter, and Roma all currently share 15 points, trailing league leaders AC Milan by just one point. The Rossoneri could extend their lead to four points before the Napoli-Inter match, as they host newly-promoted Pisa on Friday. Meanwhile, Roma will travel to Sassuolo on Sunday.
Key Matchups - Inter and Napoli have been exchanging Serie A titles in recent years, with Inter claiming the championship in 2024 between Napoli’s back-to-back triumphs. Conte also led Inter to the title in 2021.
Inter is riding high on a run of seven consecutive victories across all competitions, including a vital win over Roma last weekend and a dominant 4-0 victory against Union Saint-Gilloise on Tuesday.
Juventus, under the stewardship of a beleaguered Igor Tudor, will visit his former club Lazio. Tudor resigned as Lazio's coach in 2024 after a brief three-month tenure.
Juventus trails Milan by four points and has not recorded a win since September 13.
Milan is heavily favored to beat bottom-of-the-table Pisa, although their only defeat this season came against another promoted side, Cremonese, on opening day.
Atalanta remains the only unbeaten team in Serie A, yet finds itself in eighth place after drawing five of its seven matches. They face Cremonese, a team noted for its frequent draws.
Players to Watch - Bologna’s Riccardo Orsolini stands out as Serie A's top goalscorer with five goals, having netted in each of his last four league games. He will be looking to continue his streak against a struggling Fiorentina.
Inter's goalkeeper Yann Sommer is in outstanding form, having made several crucial saves during the 1-0 win over Roma. Inter has conceded just once in its last five matches across all competitions.
Out of Action - Bologna coach Vincenzo Italiano is set to miss the trip to Fiorentina as he is hospitalized with pneumonia.
Milan faces its own injury struggles, missing Christian Pulisic, Adrien Rabiot, Ardon Jashari, and Pervis Estupiñán, while Christopher Nkunku and Ruben Loftus-Cheek are not yet fully fit.
Como’s Jesús Rodríguez and Parma’s Abdoulaye Niakhate Ndiaye will both serve suspensions this weekend as Parma hosts Como on Saturday.
Off the Field - With a Spanish league match in Miami called off, pressure mounts for Serie A to reconsider plans for AC Milan’s Australian fixture against Como in February. “Serie A must do the right thing and withdraw its proposal,” urged Football Supporters Europe. “If not, we hope the AFC respects fan voices.”
Following last weekend's disturbances, Pisa and Hellas Verona supporters are banned from attending away matches for the next three months, starting with Pisa’s game at Milan on Friday.
Work has commenced on a new stadium on Venice’s outskirts, set to host Serie B team Venezia from the 2027-28 season. (AP)
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