Napoli coach Antonio Conte shared his thoughts on the victory over Milan in a post-match interview. He stated, “After a first half where we dominated, let`s remember that Milan is a top team that started the season aiming to win the league and strengthened in January. I pushed Anguissa, who hadn`t played with his national team, we missed McTominay, and I had to take risks. Neres hadn`t played for a while, which is why we dropped off a bit. Perhaps some fear crept in too; it`s an important result that keeps us close to Inter and further away from fifth place. We didn`t even start aiming for Champions League, but for Europa League, but now we are here, and after eight months of work, it would be crazy not to believe in something extraordinary. Ahead of us, there`s a powerhouse team that would compete in a league of their own, not just in Italy but also in Europe. For us, it will be crucial to recover everyone; if we do, we can have our say.”

“Did you send a clear message?”

“Today wasn`t easy because we were playing after Inter and against a strong team. All the conditions were there, not to hand Inter the title already, but to create a significant gap to close. Next, we go to Bologna against another strong team, and the response was important. If we could manage things a bit better, but today we lost McTominay, and I had to change the setup, sacrificing Raspadori. These are the days a coach hates because you have to find solutions. I even took a painkiller because I have a strong headache.”

“How strong is the desire to do something important in Napoli?”

“As for my integration, it has been perfect, beyond expectations, because I was welcomed immediately and very well. It was the first time I received so much without having given anything yet. Today, in part, we have returned the enthusiasm that was already there in Dimaro. We must be aware that we are doing something extraordinary and almost miraculous. We only participated in one competition because we exited the Coppa Italia after two rounds. We need to be fierce; there are eight games left, and then we will think about the future.”