Europe is the main aim for Napoli, but Scudetto is realistic according to Conte

Napoli manager Antonio Conte insisted that getting into Europe is the main aim with Napoli, although is finding it harder to ignore talk of the Scudetto after they extended their lead at the top of the league to seven points on Tuesday.

Conte’s side won 2-0 away to Milan to earn their eighth victory in a nine-match unbeaten run in the league, with a considerable gap having opened ahead of second-placed Inter’s trip to Empoli on Wednesday.

The 25 points they have already accrued, meanwhile, constitute almost half of what they did last season (53) during a terrible title defence that saw Napoli finish 10th.

But after such a dismal season compared to how they have started this one, Conte needs to balance expectations within the club.

“Scudetto? No one is hiding. We see realistically what we are doing this year,” he told DAZN.

“After 10 games, it has something of the incredible and unexpected.

“Not even the craziest would have predicted it. But we remain with our feet on the ground.

“We know what our goal is, which is to return to Europe. But there are five or six teams that have the same idea.

“Winning in Naples would be something incredible. We have given ourselves three years. We are rebuilding something and it takes time.”

5 – Napoli have won five games in a row in Serie A for the first time since February 2023 (eight on that case); furthermore, only Barcelona (10) have won more matches than the Partenopei (eight) in the top-5 European leagues this season. Path.#MilanNapoli pic.twitter.com/Uagx5xG983

— OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) October 29, 2024

Having performed so well at the start of this season, Conte is aware that it will be hard to stop the fans getting carried away.

“We try to feed the dreams of the fans, but we need to have balance,” he said.

“Our fans followed us with passion even today, it is right that they dream. We have to be prepared when there is some setback.

“We want to make the Neapolitan fans proud of this team.”