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

By Sports Desk October 29, 2024

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."

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."

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    The draw saw them drop to fourth in the Serie A table, with the gap to leaders Napoli now seven points. It was also the second straight game in which they had to come from behind to avoid defeat.

    But while the 4-4 draw with Inter on Sunday was seen as a point gained, this was two dropped according to Motta.

    "I think today we conceded too many restarts. At their goal kicks, we were trying to bring the defender out to then be able to press and cause an error, but we didn't succeed," he told DAZN after the match.

    "In the defensive phase we made a lot of mistakes."

    Forward Dusan Vlahovic missed a brilliant chance inside the six-yard box, but failed to convert. Motta was unwilling to dig out his striker, but did suggest his entire team have to be better at converting chances after having 16 efforts on goal.

    "We have to have balance and control of the game. Today we did well until the last two metres, but in the end we have to do better," he said.

    "We created danger on the counter and we have to continue like this. 

    "But we have to improve in bringing our team into the opponent's half, in finishing and not letting the opposition restart."

    Timothy Weah supplied an assist and a goal to twice get Juventus back level in this match, but was later replaced by Inter hero Kenan Yildiz, who had scored twice to level at the weekend. The Turkey international almost scored a winner in added time and Motta was pleased with the output of both.

    "Weah played well at San Siro and again today, scoring," Motta told Sky Sports.

    "Kenan coming on later, with the game more open, is an ideal player to create situations. He has freedom in the final metres, it was normal today to want to open things up against such a closed team."

  • Glenmuir High blank Ocho Rios High 3-0 to extend rich form; Munro edge champions Clarendon College 2-1 Glenmuir High blank Ocho Rios High 3-0 to extend rich form; Munro edge champions Clarendon College 2-1

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    From the opening whistle, Glenmuir displayed confidence and cohesion, controlling the tempo of the game with crisp passes and quick transitions against a disciplined Ocho Rios defence. They went close in the fourth minute when Brandon Wallace got on target, but his effort was blocked on the line.

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    Ocho Rios, undeterred, mounted an attempt to level the score and should have done so in the 28th, but Reid, who had a clear look on goal, fired his effort high and wide, as Glenmuir remained 1-0 up at the break.

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    Russell Martin is hopeful his Southampton players can use their midweek EFL Cup win to provide some momentum when they take on Everton. 

    The Saints have picked up just one point from their first nine games back in the Premier League ahead of Saturday's visit of Everton to St Mary's. 

    All three of Southampton's wins so far this season have come in the EFL Cup, most recently beating second-tier Stoke City 3-2 on Tuesday. 

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    Everton are eight points better off than bottom-place Southampton in 16th, having recovered from a slow start by collecting nine points across a five-game unbeaten run. 

    The Toffees were far from their best in last weekend's clash with Fulham at Goodison Park, but Beto came off the substitutes’ bench to rescue a last-gasp 1-1 draw. 

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    "We weren't playing our best, but we found a way to get something from the game. Over a season, it is important to keep getting something from games in the Premier League." 

      

    PLAYERS TO WATCH  

    Southampton - Jan Bednarek  

    Bednarek has started all nine of Southampton's games in the Premier League this season and also started the midweek cup win over Stoke. 

    While he boasts the second-most completed passes (691) of all players in the division this season, he is currently on the longest run of starts without winning a game (22) since Jonny Evans between April 2017 and January 2018 (28 games). 

      

    Everton - Ashley Young 

    Young has managed to prove his doubters wrong with recent performances, which includes three assists in his past five Premier League appearances - as many as he had across his previous 124. 

    The full-back is one of three players to have assisted as many as three goals after turning 39 years of age, along with Teddy Sherringham and Ryan Giggs. 

    MATCH PREDICTION - DRAW 

    Southampton are without a win in their past 22 Premier League matches - only Derby County (32) and Sunderland (26) have even endured longer runs. 

    Should the Saints lose this weekend, they will equal Sheffield United's unwanted record for the fewest points (one) after the first 10 games of a Premier League season. 

    Everton, meanwhile, are five league games without defeat after losing their previous five, making this their best-such run since between August and October 2022 under Frank Lampard (six games). 

    The Toffees have lost five of their last seven top-flight games away at Southampton, though, albeit the most recent such trip ended in a 2-1 win in October 2022. 

    One further glimmer of hope for Southampton is that they have won 13 Premier League home games against Everton - against no side have they won more often on home soil (also 13 wins versus Newcastle United). 

     

    OPTA WIN PROBABILITY 

    Southampton - 37.5% 

    Everton - 36.2% 

    Draw - 26.3%

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