Conte can make few promises as Napoli reign begins with bad defeat

Conte’s appointment brought an immediate rush of optimism to a club that was coming off one of the worst-ever title defences.

Tue, 20 Aug, 2024 - 06:10

Nicky Bandini

Antonio Conte was ready to lead by example. Asked what fans could expect from Napoli this season, during his official unveiling as manager in June, he promised the team would have “una faccia incazzata” – “a pissed-off face”. On the eve of their season opener against Verona, he showed up with one of his own.

“I expected to find a better situation,” he said, as he assessed his team’s readiness for the new campaign. “I thought there might be some positive surprises [to go with the challenges] but I’ve struggled to find any.”