Antonio sends messages: in a three-way fight, he wants to teach his team to also handle mental effort
G.B. Olivero
December 22 – 00:09 – MILANO
Every match, a message. Every week, one lesson. Antonio Conte isn't making a single mistake and in fact Napoli is back in the lead, awaiting events. Those who explain the high performance of the Azzurri with the absence of European commitments pretend not to want to understand what happened in Naples last year and which risked happening again if De Laurentiis had not entrusted himself to Conte. The week off is certainly an advantage, God forbid, but the coach is doing something unprecedented in those parts. It's not just about building a competitive team from the rubble, a specialty of the house. But also to guide, we would almost say educate, the whole environment with the taste of a tight competition with what it entails: management of moments, no concession to exaltation or depression, lucid analysis and clarity of the objectives to be pursued.
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Two seasons ago Napoli did not win the scudetto: they dominated it, crushing the competition and never, ever, experiencing the restlessness of doubt or the fear of defeat. The tricolor was virtually sewn onto the shirts already in winter. The only thought for the last three months was the date of the celebrations. There were no tables to follow or opponents to monitor: there was just a parade round after round to take the applause and celebrate a well-deserved title. Now the situation is very different: Atalanta and Inter are there, just behind this morning, maybe Gasperini will be just ahead by dinner time and Inzaghi will get back in the wake tomorrow. This is a winter in which you can't win the championship, but you can lose it. This is why after the success against Genoa Conte sent a clear message. Two weeks ago, after the home defeat against Lazio, the coach said he saw Napoli on the right path: serenity in defeat. Yesterday at Marassi he openly criticized his players' second half despite the three points: severity in the victory. He could have said the same things in the locker room and limited himself to a general analysis in the press room. But the message, more than for the team, is for the fans and for the city: nobody just looks at the results, everyone remains clear-headed to evaluate things. Only in this way will Napoli be able to fight to the end with the strongest team in the pack (Inter) and with the team that has been pursuing the same project for the longest time (Atalanta). Conte does not have the abundance of Inzaghi and Gasp, his squad does not have the habit of success of Simone's, his environment does not have the same disenchanted approach to results as the people of Bergamo. This is why Antonio's work is not limited to what you see on the pitch. Leaders Napoli could last just a few hours. Empoli can be annoying, but at the moment Atalanta conveys such an idea of omnipotence that today's victory is considered an inevitable result. These are the matches that the Nerazzurri got wrong in the past. It also happened three months ago, on 24 September in Bergamo against Como (2-3). From that day a draw and then the open streak of ten consecutive victories.
The entire Enilive series A is only on DAZN. Watch all the matches
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Atalanta has changed status and their journey in the Europa League, with the associated triumph, has played a fundamental role. Those who consider the lack of participation in the cups an advantage should try to broaden their horizons and understand how important, year after year, the comparison with other types of football and prestigious opponents has been for the Dea. Atalanta has used every experience to add a piece to its growth and is now a championship team, regardless of whether they really want to say that word in Zingonia. What do Juve and Milan have more than the richness of the board? Motta and Fonseca's projects, which are also shrouded in a rather dense fog, have just started and it is not known where they will lead. Inzaghi's Inter also changed gear two seasons ago thanks to their splendid European run. That final lost to Manchester City left tears and a lot of self-esteem. Since that day the Nerazzurri have known how to face any opponent and especially the negative moments. The derby lost on 22 September could have erased some certainties but instead the reaction was that of a great team: eight wins and two draws. Getting used to fighting, to pressure, to the obligation to win: what Conte is trying to teach in Naples.
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