1 week ago
Antonio Conte announced his departure arsenic Napoli caput coach connected Sunday aft guiding nan squad to a 1-0 location triumph complete Udinese successful their last lucifer of nan Serie A season.
The 56-year-old confirmed nan determination astatine a property convention alongside nan Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis aft nan match. Having joined nan nine successful July 2024, he won nan convention title successful his debut run arsenic good arsenic this season’s. Conte’s last lucifer was settled by a 23rd-minute extremity from striker Rasmus Højlund, securing a second-place decorativeness successful nan convention array for nan hosts down Inter.
The erstwhile Italy and Chelsea head revealed he had initiated nan exit talks based connected his narration pinch nan club’s owner. “I rang nan president a period agone … and told him: ‘Given nan relationship we share, I consciousness that my clip present is coming to an end.’ The determination was mine,” Conte told reporters. “I’ve ne'er been 1 for mediocre seasons, and I ne'er will be.”
Reflecting connected nan turning constituent of his determination pursuing a nonaccomplishment to Bologna this month, Conte cited clash complete January signings and soul squad dynamics. “I saw situations location that I did not like,” Conte said. “Certainly immoderate caller signings arrived successful January while nan aged group and I were successful very difficult dynamics. There came a infinitesimal erstwhile it was correct to speak retired and return responsibility.
“I grounded astatine 1 point successful Naples: I was incapable to bring everyone together,” he added. “I saw excessively overmuch poison, excessively overmuch malice. The infinitesimal you tin nary longer do things pinch easiness is simply a measurement backwards for me.”
Conte is simply a frontrunner to return complete arsenic Italy manager, section media reported. “There is satisfaction, honour and prestige successful what I achieved coaching Naples. I convey De Laurentiis for giving maine this opportunity.”
Como qualified for nan Champions League for nan first clip successful their history, nan lakeside nine being joined by Roma successful nan apical 4 arsenic giants Milan and Juventus missed retired connected an eventful last time marred by instrumentality violence.
Como’s 4-1 triumph astatine Cremonese, who driblet down to Serie B, and Milan falling to a daze 2-1 location conclusion to Cagliari was capable for Cesc Fàbregas’s broadside to headdress their unthinkable emergence from little leagues to Europe’s apical table. Como will decorativeness nan play fourth, 2 points down Roma, whose 2-0 triumph astatine already-relegated Verona ensured 3rd spot and an extremity to their agelong absence from nan Champions League.
Juve’s lucifer astatine Torino kicked disconnected complete an hr precocious for “public safety” aft 1 of nan Turin giants’ fans was admitted to infirmary pursuing pre-match clashes pinch rival supporters.
In La Liga, Villarreal claimed 3rd spot pinch an emphatic 5-1 triumph complete Atlético Madrid, who vanished fourth, successful nan last lucifer of nan Spanish season. It was Marcelino García Toral’s past successful complaint of nan Yellow Submarine, and he guided them to a comfortable triumph against an uninterested Atlético side. Finishing 3rd is Villarreal’s highest placement successful La Liga for 13 years.
