Latest news with #Scudettos
The Hindu
24-05-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
Antonio Conte — A Serie A legend clinches another title to bring Napoli to his feet
Antonio Conte etched his name in history when Napoli saw Cagliari off to win the Serie A title at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium on Friday. The Italian became the first manager to win the Serie A title with three different clubs when Napoli beat Cagliari to seal the title race on Friday. It was also his fifth top-flight title as a manager, making him the third-most successful manager in Serie A, after Giovanni Trapattoni (7) and Massimiliano Allegri (7). Both coaches won a lone title with AC Milan while all of their other Scudettos came with Juventus. For Conte, too, the first Serie A title came with the same team, in 2012, its first in nearly a decade. He went on to complete a hat-trick of Serie A titles, securing the third Scudetti (decade-star). In each of the three seasons, he won the Italian Coach of the Year. He left soon after to become Italy's national team coach – a stint that ran until the end of Euro 2016, following which he moved to the Premier League, winning the Premier League and FA Cup with Chelsea. But, having failed to secure Champions League football, the Blues showed him the door. And Inter Milan embraced him with open arms – one that bore fruit within two seasons as the Nerazzuri won the league in 2021, its first Serie A title in 11 years. Conte is known for a three-man defensive system and his fiery press conferences, which have often led to friction in the clubs he has worked in. One of the biggest such examples was Tottenham Hotspur, where his time ended soon after he pointed the finger of blame at the players and the club management after a draw with Southampton in March 2023. Already dubbed a star by fans in Naples, only time will tell if Conte can break that reputation going into the next season. | Photo Credit: REUTERS 'We are 11 players who go onto the pitch. I see selfish players. I see players that don't want to help each other and don't put their heart [into it],' Conte had said. 'Tottenham's story is this. For twenty years, there has been this owner, and they have never won anything, but why? … I have seen the managers that Tottenham had on the bench. You risk disrupting the manager figure and protecting the other situation in every moment,' Conte had said. Within a week, he was gone from the club. Conte, a Juventus legend as a player, looked teetering as a manager, despite winning silverware. But his home country, Italy, came calling again, this time through a different club – Napoli. In 2023, the club won its first Scudetto in 33 years under Luciano Spalletti, but soon after, the club had an exodus, with key players – Kvicha Kvaratskhelia, Victor Osimhen, Piotr Zieliński and Kim Min-jae – leaving and Spalletti moving on to the Italian National team. After a forgettable 2023-24 season, Conte took charge and clinched the title within a season, making him one of the greatest Italian managers of all time. 'I'm happy in Naples and I'm working for fans who give me something emotionally. That's very important. But you know that whoever hires me knows that I bring with me expectations,' said Conte. 'People hire me and think 'you have to finish first or second, even if you finished 10th the year before, and you have to fight for the title, qualifying for Europe isn't enough'. 'I can handle all of that, but I'm not stupid if there aren't the resources in place to achieve that.' But Conte's relationship with the clubs he manages. He averages 1.33 years at a club, and he has managed 50 games or more for only five of the 11 sided he has managed. Already dubbed a star by fans in Naples, only time will tell if Conte can break that reputation going into the next season. 'You have to live in the present... the people want to win and are ambitious. I'm open to everything, but we need to see where we are,' said Conte when asked about his future last month. Rahul, Jaiswal – Sai Sudharsan, Gill, Pant, Nitish – Jadeja, Siraj, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Prasidh
Daily Record
03-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Billy Gilmour reveals exact moment Napoli turned into Serie A believers as title within touching distance
Napoli lead the Serie A standings by three points with four games left to play Billy Gilmour has outlined the turning point in Napoli' s season that turned them from believers into genuine challengers for the Scudetto. With just four games remaining, Antonio Conte's side sit three points clear of Inter Milan at the top of Serie A as they look to win their second league title in three years, having only won previously two Scudetto's (in 1987 and 1990) in their entire 98-year long history. Gilmour hasn't quite been able to hit the ground running in Naples like his Scotland teammate Scott McTominay, who has spearheaded Gli Azzuri's title charge with 12 strikes in 32 Serie A matches, including five goals in his last three matches. The playmaker has made 22 outings in Serie A and struggled to hold down a midfield berth alongside McTominay, with the likes of Stanislav Lobotka and Frank Anguissa also providing added competition. But Gilmour - who like McTominay is gunning to become the first Scot to win Serie A - reckons a 3-2 away victory against Atalanta on January 18 was the moment that Conte and his players truly believed that they could mount a serious challenge to reigning champions Inter. Speaking to Serie A's official Youtube channel, he said: "You could say that the turning point came against Atalanta away. "They went a goal up and we ended up coming back fighting (to win 3-2). "I think that shows how good the spirit is in this team. "We always fight until the end and so far this season we have done really well. "We just keep going game-by-game and see how it goes." The 23-year-old was brought to Napoli by Conte in a £12million deal from Brighton last summer, having briefly worked with the fiery Italian coach when he was coming through Chelsea's youth academy after making the move from Rangers. And now that he gets to work with the vastly experienced boss - who has won nine Scudettos in total as a player and now as a coach - on a daily basis, Gilmour says Conte's ability to get everything out of his players has been crucial to their surprise title charge. "I had Antonio Conte when I was younger but only trained with him a couple of times. "But now working with him every day, he is always very intense and his standards are always high. "He pushes you to the max and as players, that is good for us to give our best this season."
Yahoo
23-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Happy Birthday, Walter Samuel!
On 23 March 1979, an Argentinian defender was born and he was destined to become a pillar here at Inter. Walter Samuel, nicknamed "The Wall" for his defensive solidity, wore the Nerazzurri shirt from 2005 to 2014, racking up 236 appearances and scoring 17 goals, many of which were key. His grit, tactical intelligence and leadership made him a fan favourite. With Inter, Samuel won five Scudettos, four Italian Supercups, three Coppa Italias, one Champions League and one Club World Cup. He was a key part of the legendary Treble in 2010. His goal in the 2012 derby that earned a memorable win for the Nerazzurri was unforgettable. His career exemplifies dedication and passion, two values that embody his Interista spirit perfectly. Happy Birthday, Walter Samuel, from FC Inter Milan and all of our fans.
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Happy Birthday, Alvaro Recoba!
Head high, eyes for goal, a belter of a left foot and a player who made the stadium go wild. If you say Alvaro Recoba, every Inter fan has a clear image in their head: a stroke of genius, an impossible strike, a flash of pure class. Today "Chino" turns 49. Having arrived at Inter in Summer 1997, Recoba lit up San Siro with outstanding, unforgettable moments. How can you forget his perfect debut against Brescia? The Nerazzurri were a goal behind, then he came on: first he announced himself with a rocket from distance before converting a perfect free kick. Two screamers in the space of a few minutes. But "Chino" didn't stop there. His amazing talent produced magic moments for ten years at Inter: the goal from midfield against Empoli in 1998, the left-footed strike that completed the comeback against Sampadoria in 2005, the impossible free kicks and the bewildering assists. At Inter, he won two Scudettos, two Coppa Italias, two Italian Supercups and a UEFA CUP, leaving an unforgettable mark on the history of the club and in the hearts of fans. Happy Birthday Alvaro!
