Latest news with #AntonioConte
New York Times
a day ago
- Business
- New York Times
Antonio Conte staying at Napoli after winning Serie A: ‘We're serious people, so we're moving forward'
Antonio Conte has moved to end speculation over his future by signalling his intention to stay at Napoli after winning the Serie A title. Napoli clinched their second league crown in three seasons after defeating Cagliari 2-0 last Friday, beating Inter by one point. There had been talk Conte could leave his position following the Scudetto win but he has now reiterated his commitment to the club. Advertisement 'Managers and owners meet at the end of every season to review the season, to see how it went and find out whether or not they have the same vision for the future, and the same determination to go after particular objectives,' he said, sat alongside owner Aurelio De Laurentiis on Friday. 'That all seems normal to me. It happens at every club.' The deal Conte signed last summer to succeed Francesco Calzona ties him to the club until 2027. 'There is a contract and seeing as we're aligned on the vision we have for the club, there's nothing else to say on the matter,' Conte added. 'We carry on. We're serious people, so we're moving forward.' Conte, 55, was tasked with overseeing an overhaul of the playing squad. Stars of the 2022-23 title campaign departed; striker Victor Osimhen joined Galatasaray on loan last summer, before winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia moved to Paris Saint-Germain on a permanent deal in January. Shortly after arriving at the club, Conte stated that 'a total rebuild is needed, from the foundations' at Napoli and that the club was far away from contending. He also criticised his players after a 3-0 Serie A defeat against Hellas Verona in August, saying that they 'melted like snow in the sunshine'. Romelu Lukaku — who previously played under Conte at Inter — joined from Chelsea alongside Manchester United's Scott McTominay and Torino's Italy international centre-back Alessandro Buongiorno. Conte's side conceded just 27 goals in 38 league games, the strongest defensive record in Serie A and 18 fewer than Inter. Napoli did not participate in European football this campaign, having finished in 10th place in 2023-24, and were eliminated from the Coppa Italia at the round-of-16 stage by Lazio. Conte is one of Europe's most successful managers, having won five top-flight titles and several cup competitions. The Italian began his coaching career in Serie B with Arezzo in 2006 and had spells with Bari, Atalanta and Siena before being hired by Juventus in 2011, where he won three straight Serie A titles before resigning in 2014. Advertisement Conte then had a two-year stint in charge of the Italian national team, reaching the quarter-finals of Euro 2016, before joining Chelsea. He won the Premier League in 2016-17 and the FA Cup the following season but departed after Chelsea finished fifth in the league. A two-season spell at Inter followed, narrowly missing out on the Serie A title in 2019-20 before winning it the following season, ending Juventus's streak of nine straight Scudetti. Conte returned to the Premier League with Tottenham Hotspur in November 2021 but left by mutual consent 16 months later.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Napoli director drops two-word update on De Bruyne transfer
Napoli director Giovanni Manna confirms the Partenopei are 'pretty close' to signing Kevin De Bruyne as a free agent. De Bruyne's contract expires at the end of the season, but Napoli have been in talks with his camp for several weeks. Advertisement Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis confirmed on Thursday evening that Antonio Conte would remain at the club beyond the summer, but reporters also requested updates on De Bruyne. Napoli director Giovanni Manna and coach Antonio Conte Therefore, ADL called Manna, saying: 'He is in continuous contact with De Bruyne and his lawyers.' At that point, Manna replied with just two words and a smile: 'Pretty close,' said the Napoli director via Sky Sport. De Bruyne is available on a free transfer as his contract with Manchester City expires at the end of the season. The Premier League giants decided against offering KDB a new deal, so the Partenopei made their move alongside Chicago Fire and Fenerbahce. Advertisement Transfer expert Sacha Tavolieri reported on Thursday that De Bruyne had rejected a €25m offer for two seasons from Fenerbahce to sign for Napoli. Why De Bruyne will leave Manchester City 'I have not had any offer the whole year, they [Man City] just took a decision,' De Bruyne said in April, via BBC. 'Obviously, I was a bit surprised but I just have to accept it. Honestly, I still think I can perform at this level like I'm showing, but I understand clubs have to make decisions. MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – MAY 20: Kevin De Bruyne of Manchester City looks on after the Premier League match between Manchester City FC and AFC Bournemouth at Etihad Stadium on May 20, 2025 in Manchester, England, This match is to be Kevin De Bruyne's last home match for Manchester City before he departs in the summer when his contract expires. De Bruyne, will receive a guard of honour from team-mates and staff after a successful 10-year career at the club seeing him win 6 leagues titles and the Champions League. (Photo by) 'I feel like I still have a lot to give. Obviously I know I'm not 25 any more but I still feel like I can do my job. 'I'm open for anything. I have to look at the whole picture. I'm looking at sporting, family, everything together, what makes the most sense for me and my family. 'I like to play football. I like to compete. That's what I feel, so I can't say that I want to quit because I still feel that whenever I'm in training I want to beat the guys.'
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Napoli Pushing To Beat Inter Milan To Signing Of Bologna & Parma Stars
Napoli are pushing to beat Inter Milan to the signings of Bologna defender Sam Beukema and Parma striker Ange-Yoan Bonny. This according to today's print edition of Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, via FCInterNews. Advertisement On the pitch, Napoli have just beat Inter Milan to the Serie A title. Last week, they confirmed their Scudetto victory with a win over Cagliari on the final day. However, off the pitch, an altogether different battle between the two clubs is heating up. Both Inter and Napoli are looking to strengthen their squads for next season. And there are a couple targets that both clubs are eyeing up within Serie A, reports the Gazzetta dello Sport. Napoli Pushing To Beat Inter To Signings Of Beukema & Bonny PARMA, ITALY – APRIL 05: Ange-Yoan Bonny of Parma calcio in action during the Serie A match between Parma and FC Internazionale at Stadio Ennio Tardini on April 05, 2025 in Parma, Italy. (Photo by) In defense, Bologna defender Sam Beukema is certainly a player on Inter's radar. The Nerazzurri must make a big signing at the back this summer. They are aiming to refresh an aging defense in which players like Francesco Acerbi and Stefan de Vrij are still stalwarts. Advertisement And Rossoblu former AZ Alkmaar defender Beukema has emerged as one of Inter's top targets in defense. However, reports the Gazzetta, Napoli are also getting ready to make a move for the Dutchman after confirming that Antonio Conte will stay on the bench. Meanwhile, staying in Emilia-Romagna, Inter have reportedly made Parma striker Ange-Yoan Bonny one of their major targets in attack. However, once again, the Gazzetta report that Napoli are also big admirers of the Frenchman. Therefore, it could be yet another transfer duel to unfold over the next few weeks.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
🚨 Napoli stick with manager Antonio Conte
Plot twist! Just as he had led Napoli to a championship title that made the whole city roar, Antonio Conte was announced to be leaving in recent days, and was even sent to Juventus. The reason, among other things, was a complicated relationship with the iconic and temperamental club president Aurelio De Laurentiis. But the latter published a photo with Conte on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday evening, announcing that he was staying. Advertisement The club also published a video to confirm the news. It remains to be seen whether this is just a maintenance of the current contract or if the Neapolitan club will extend/revalue the Italian coach. In any case, the supporters can reassure themselves, Conte should stay to defend his title, while the arrival of big players like De Bruyne is awaited. Also read: - AC Milan fires coach, successor known - Di Maria officializes new club - The 100 players nominated for the 2025 Golden Boy This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here. 📸 Francesco Pecoraro - 2025 Getty Images
The National
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The National
Achraf Hakimi: Made in Madrid, matured in Milan, pulsating in Paris
Paris Saint-Germain's Achraf Hakimi, considered one of the finest right-backs in world football, is set to face his former team, Inter Milan, on Saturday in the biggest game of the season, the Uefa Champions League final. 'For me, it will be a special final, of course, and we will face it with great motivation. But we want to win our first Champions League," he told Sky. Three weeks ago, the Moroccan marauder was instrumental in PSG's second-leg win over Arsenal, scoring the second in a 2-1 win that gave the French champions a 3-1 aggregate win to clinch a place in Saturday's final in Munich. By then, PSG's opponents were already known. Hakimi could not contain his smile at the mention of Inter, remembering fondly his time, brief as it was, in Italy: "It was an important stage of my career ...' Hakimi might have only spent one year at Inter, working under Antonio Conte, but his arrival at Inter and their subsequent title win had a profound impact on the player. Cast your mind back to November 2019; Borussia Dortmund were about to host Inter for the fourth game of the Champions League group stage. Both Dortmund and Inter were level on points after three matches. It was Conte's first season with the Milanese giants, and he was facing criticism owing to his poor record in Europe. The atmosphere at Signal Iduna Park was intense, the roar from the 'Yellow Wall' loud, raw, and strangely beautiful. Lautaro Martínez's fifth-minute goal cut through the tension like a hot knife through butter, silencing the crowd and handing Inter an early advantage. Matias Vecino doubled the away side's advantage five minutes before half time. Inter were in complete control. Dortmund were facing a costly defeat - that is, until Achraf Hakimi took matters into his own hands. Having celebrated his 21st birthday the night before, the Moroccan scored two goals either side of Julian Brandt's equaliser to win his team the match. Never in their history had Dortmund won a Champions League game from two goals down. Conte was furious after the match. 'The club will make its evaluations, I am just saying all of us got it badly wrong when planning for this season.' The right wing-back role proved challenging for Inter that season, with Conte trying five players to find the right fit. None interpreted the role in the way Conte needed to ensure overall tactical balance. Hakimi's performance that night left such a lasting impression that, come summer, Inter moved swiftly and decisively, secure the defender they now saw as essential to their project. Hakimi scored five goals and delivered 10 assists in his last season for Dortmund in the Bundesliga, with 39% of their attacks coming from the right flank. Considering Conte's style of play, the defender was seen as the ideal player to fortify Inter's attacking game. On arrival, Hakimi quickly demonstrated his attacking verve. The player started his playing career as a striker before Ruben de la Red, his youth coach for two years at Real Madrid, converted him to a winger as a 14-year-old. A few years later, he was switched to full-back, a position he has come to define. Growing up in Real Madrid's academy with Zinedine Zidane's son, it was the France great who gave Hakimi his senior debut. Gifted and dynamic, he impressed quickly, but there were concerns about his defensive capabilities. With Dani Carvajal, the Spain international, firmly established at right-back, opportunities were limited in Spain for Hakimi, and he was let go. After two years in Germany, focusing much of his game on attack, Conte made it clear that Hakimi had to level up at Inter. 'He has potential, but he has to work a lot on the defensive phase,' Conte said. 'In Italy, there are pressures, expectations and demands higher than in Germany and in the Premier League, especially in teams such as Inter.' 'He is a boy who has good potential but must work, knowing that there are different pressures here.' Hakimi made mistakes that drew attention early on in his Inter career. In a Champions League fixture against Real Madrid in November 2020, the defender's mistake gifted the hosts the opening goal. His poor back pass made while under pressure from Ferland Mendy, was seized upon by Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema. Inter went on to lose the match 3-2, a result that left them at the bottom of their Champions League group halfway through the competition. Fabio Capello labelled the mistake "among the worst" in that round of Champions League fixtures. That blunder, combined with the mishap against Parma in a 2-2 draw in Serie A, underscored the Moroccan's defensive struggles during his early days at Inter. Despite his dazzling contributions going forward, his tactical immaturity proved costly, often inviting Conte's frustrations. Those frustrations prompted Conte to bench Hakimi and turn to Matteo Darmian in high-stakes matches where Inter could not afford any defensive risks, such as the Atalanta game that came after the loss to Real Madrid, and an important match away to Sassuolo in the league. Conte decided to reshape his tactical approach to harness Hakimi's explosive attacking flair without compromising the team's defensive solidity. The team began to sit deeper, drawing opponents in, before unleashing Hakimi as a vertical spearhead in transition. It was a blueprint Conte had once employed with Stephan Lichtsteiner at Juventus, but with Hakimi, he now wielded a talent of near-supernatural dynamism. Like Lichsteiner, Hakimi performed better when he ran from deeper positions, while his aggression ensured Inter could always bully opponents into submission. Inter became an overwhelming physical force that would seldom be beaten. Hakimi elevated his overall game at Inter as the weeks went by, establishing himself as one of the key players behind Inter's 2020/21 title win. Playing in Conte's 3-5-2, the Moroccan improved his positional discipline, tracking back more consistently to maintain the defensive shape, especially in transition. More importantly, Hakimi sharpened his reading of the game, gradually eliminating the costly errors that had plagued his early appearances. Scoring seven goals and contributing 11 assists, Hakimi made the Serie A team of the season and attracted worldwide attention. 'Conte's greatest strength is that he brings everything out of his players. He taught me to focus not just on attacking, but also defending, and I learned an aspect of the game that I didn't really know very well. I have improved a great deal over the last year,' recalled Hakimi at the end of his time with Inter. Unfortunately for the Italian giants, their precarious financial situation meant they had to sell players, with Hakimi sold to PSG for €71 million in July 2021. Under Luis Enrique's guidance, Hakimi, now 26, has grown even better. The Spanish coach says there is no better player in the right-back role than Hakimi. Enrique's philosophy of a fluid, cohesive style of play has allowed Hakimi, and others, to flourish. The Moroccan is often found drifting across the pitch to open up space for attackers, no longer restricted to his role as a defender. "He only plays full-back when [Gigi] Donnarumma has the ball," Enrique joked after a games against Nantes in December. "He plays like a striker, like a winger, and can't play any higher up the pitch, otherwise he'd be with the Ultras!' Hakimi's blend of power and pace enables him to recover defensively with ease, while his relentless engine has seen him log the second-highest number of minutes for PSG this season. He was the driving force behind their imperious march to another Ligue 1 title and only a second Champions League final in the club's history. On Saturday, he will stand opposite the club he once called home – a place that shaped him and still holds a special place in his heart. Yet sentiment will give way to ambition, for Hakimi is a relentless competitor, ready to give everything in pursuit of the greatest prize in club football. 'We are a family and we deserve this moment – our fans, the people of Paris, our families, everyone who has supported us.'
