Antonio Conte Regrets Absent From Accompanying Napoli In Serie A Final Match

Antonio Conte will miss Napoli in the match to determine Serie A's Scudetto (Instagram/@officialsscnapoli).

JAKARTA - Napoli coach Antonio Conte asked his players to remain calm when his team tried to win the Serie A 2024/2025 title on Saturday, May 23, 2025, early morning WIB.

I Partenopei is scheduled to host Cagliari in the match at the Maradona Stadium.

He underlined his great sense of responsibility to the city while expressing his regret for only watching from the stands due to suspension.

Napoli, who are at the top of Serie A standings, are one point ahead of Inter Milan, who will face Como on the same day. The league's last game will also determine who will win the Scudetto.

"We have gone through a very tough season. Obviously, this could be the last game to close the season for me in a new place, a new environment, where we feel responsible for giving Naples, supporters, something beautiful and historic," Conte said on Thursday, May 22, 2025, local time.

Conte will not be on the bench after emotions peaked in a goalless draw against Parma last time.

He and Parma coach Cristian Chivu got into an argument and were sent off at the end of the match.

Meanwhile, Conte's partner who competed for the Serie A title, Simone Inzaghi, also suffered the same fate.

He will be in the stands after being sent off the pitch during Inter Milan's 2-2 draw against Lazio on Monday, May 19, 2025.

"I regret not being there. After a season like this, you want to be there, with the fans, to lead the team."

"There is great trust in my staff, as usual, supporters, in the atmosphere that will be there."

"In fact, if I was going to be in the stands, my heart would be there. We've got everything from them (the fans), proximity in positive moments and negative moments when we were a little shaky."

"They immediately put their trust in the whole team. What I want to say is to continue to be themselves," Conte said.

Conte said he would treat the match against Cagliari like an ordinary match.

"There is Cagliari, a good team, and we have to play our game with respect to 100 percent."

"If we respect them, we will have more chances to win. We know very well that hard work has brought us here today to talk about something special. We have to try to get work done," Conte said.

If Napoli really secures the Scudetto, Conte will be the first coach to win Serie A with three different teams after previously leading Juventus to three titles while on duty from 2011-2014 and winning him with Inter Milan in 2021.

Before Conte, there was the name Fabio Capello who lifted the league trophy with AC Milan (four times) and AS Roma before bringing Juventus to successive wins in 2005 and 2006.

However, the Bianconeri lost both titles due to the calciopoli referee scandal.

It also caused Juventus to be sent to Serie B and their heyday had passed a long time ago when Conte took over and immediately renewed his dominance in Italian football.

Conte also ended his 11-year title drought at Inter Milan.

Now with Napoli - who have not had a long wait after winning Serie A in 2023 -Conte is on the verge of winning the Scudetto again.

The 55-year-old coach inherited a team that had just gone through a bad season, having listed one of the worst defenses in history, finishing in 10th place and changing coaches.

Key players leave including Victor Osimhen, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and Kim Min-jae.

The city of Naples thundered with joy at the prospect of a second league title in three years. That's a range shorter than the two league titles in four seasons with Diego Maradona in 1987 and 1990.

Conte said after Napoli's last second game that he only had one thing to say to his players: "Let's get this Scudetto!"