Napoli have moved quickly to confirm the exit of coach Antonio Conte, issuing a short four-word message less than a day after the Italian manager revealed he would step away in a tense press gathering that saw him exchange heated words with club president Aurelio De Laurentiis.
“Thanks for everything, coach,” Napoli posted on their social media channels.
Conte’s departure comes after Napoli finished their campaign with a 1-0 win at home against Udinese on Sunday, a result that secured second place in Serie A behind champions Inter Milan. Conte had announced his decision to step down at a press conference before the confrontation with De Laurentiis.
De Laurentiis argued that Napoli would have successfully defended their league title if the team had not been forced to cope with a depleted squad caused by fitness problems during the season.
In his view, the decline in competitiveness over the latter stages of the campaign was tied to extended absences for several important figures, including Scott McTominay, Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo, who all spent lengthy spells out of action.
“Without the injuries, we would have been the champions,” De Laurentiis said.
The president’s comments sparked an immediate reply from Conte, who was seated alongside him during the same briefing and urged that Inter’s accomplishments should be given proper recognition.
“That probably would not have happened,” Conte said. “Inter’s merits need to be recognised.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t like clinging to these things. We have to acknowledge others’ victories and show respect. If we want respect, we have to give it. Inter deserved to win the league, with injuries or not.”
How the split was reached
- Napoli confirmed Conte’s departure with a brief message on their social media page.
- Less than 24 hours earlier, Conte had announced he was stepping down at a press conference.
- During that same appearance, Conte and De Laurentiis exchanged words in front of reporters.
- The pair also revealed that the decision to end their professional relationship had been agreed months earlier during the season.
Looking ahead
De Laurentiis did not identify specific candidates to take over from Conte. However, he suggested that players returning to full fitness could make a difference and help the club respond positively under a new leadership approach.
