Napoli president and owner Aurelio De Laurentiis has reaffirmed his confidence in head coach Antonio Conte despite the team’s recent 2-0 loss to Bologna, which cost them the Serie A lead.
“I am proud to have a real man like Antonio Conte by my side, alongside Napoli and its players — a man who dedicates every second of his life to his profession with great generosity,” De Laurentiis said in a statement released Monday evening. “This is the most important guarantee that can be offered to a club, its players, and its demanding supporters.”
His remarks came amid growing speculation about Conte’s possible departure following the team’s inconsistent performances. The coach, visibly frustrated after the defeat, admitted, “We must do something, because I don’t want to walk with the dead,” taking full responsibility for the club’s current struggles.
Conte has repeatedly criticized his squad’s lack of the “mental spirit” that defined last season’s championship campaign, particularly in the absence of Belgian star Kevin De Bruyne, sidelined by injury until January.
Napoli have already suffered five defeats across all competitions since August — the same number they recorded throughout last season, when they captured their fourth Serie A title. The team will next face 13th-placed Atalanta on November 22 after the international break.
