Conte ´realistic´ about Napoli´s Scudetto ambitions despite strong start

Antonio Conte insisted his feet remain firmly planted on the ground despite Napoli’s impressive start to the season which sees them at the summit of the Serie A table.

Napoli have taken 29 points from their opening 13 league games, a point more than Atalanta, Inter, Fiorentina and Lazio in a tightly-packed battle at the top of the standings.

Conte’s side have impressed this season, particularly in defence, keeping eight clean sheets, with only Juventus (10) producing more in the top five European leagues.

The 55-year-old has won four Scudetto titles during his managerial career but was not getting carried away when asked about adding another to his collection.

“We have to be realistic and know that we’re only on day 13 and there are six teams within a few points,” Conte told reporters on Friday.

“It’s a balanced league so far, and, in my opinion, I don’t think it will stay that way until the end.

“At the end of the first half of the season, it [the list of contenders] will start to get a little longer. But we’re pleased, it shows the work we’re doing is good, and I’m happy.

“Day after day we’re laying important foundations and I see a continuous growth as a team but also as individuals.”

November dump

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— Official SSC Napoli (@sscnapoli) November 27, 2024

Up next for Napoli is a trip to the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino to face 11th-placed Torino, who are without a win in their last four Serie A matches.

But Paolo Vanoli’s side will have confidence of ending that winless streak after their showings against Napoli last season.

They went unbeaten in their two matches against Napoli last term (W1 D1), after a run of five defeats in a row, and could go at least three consecutive matches unbeaten against the Partenopei for the first time since between December 2007 and November 2012 in Serie A (run of five – W3 D2).

“It [Torino] is a solid group, it has good quality, it’s in mid-table in a quiet way and without a win for a long time, so there are values,” Conte said.

“I live in Turin, almost every Sunday I have the pleasure of going to see the game, and it’s an environment that I know, nice and warm, strong, attached to history.

“We’ll have to be very careful. It’s a game to be approached in the right way, with respect for the quality of the opponent and the environment that we’ll find and their history.”