Napoli hires Conte after disastrous title defense
Napoli have hired Antonio Conte as their new manager on a three-year contract following their disastrous title defence in the 2023-24 Serie A season.
“Napoli is a place of global importance,” Conte said. “I am happy and excited at the idea of sitting on [their] bench. I can certainly promise one thing: I will do my utmost for the growth of the team and the club. My commitment, together with that of my staff, it will be total.”
Aurelio de Laurentiis’ team had won the league comfortably under Luciano Spalletti the year prior before he left the club, but Rudi Garcia, Walter Mazzarri and Francesco Calzona all endured difficult stints at the Stadio Armando Maradona as the Partenopei finished 10th in the most recent campaign.
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That midtable standing means Napoli are out of European football entirely despite Italy boasting the highest UEFA coefficient ranking, with eight teams set to compete in the Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League.
Conte’s last job was at Tottenham, where he qualified for the Champions League in his debut season before leaving by mutual consent in March 2023 after 16 months. Relations between he and the club had deteriorated at all levels.
The Italian coach, 54, has enjoyed an illustrious career as a manager. He won three consecutive Serie A titles with Juventus at the start of the 2010s, a Premier League title and FA Cup with Chelsea and another Scudetto with Inter Milan in 2021.
