Scott McTominay’s headed effort took Napoli level on points with Inter Milan at the top of Serie A with the only goal in Saturday’s 1-0 win at Monza, however coach Antonio Conte hit out at owner Aurelio De Laurentis with an angry post-match comment to further add fuel to his exit rumours.
Scottish midfielder, McTominay nodded home his 10th goal in all competitions this season from Giacomo Raspadori’s cross in the 72nd minute to save Napoli’s blushes after an uninspiring display away at Monza in northern Italy.
Beyond that goal, Antonio Conte’s team created little against the division’s worst team in Monza, who are 12 points from safety with five matches remaining and look condemned for relegation.
“It’s a match that seems like it should be easy but the prize up for grabs is so important that there is a lot of pressure,” said Conte.
“A lot of these boys are in a head-to-head (for a league title) for the first time. And it’s an unexpected head-to-head… Just to be there is unexpected and extraordinary.”
Conte continued to fuel rumours of his departure at the end of his first season as Napoli coach after raising eyebrows on Friday with his open frustration at the January sale of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to PSG.
“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.
“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. 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’. He added.
“I can handle all of that, but I’m not stupid if there aren’t the resources in place to achieve that.”
Conte also complained about the pitches at Napoli’s Castel Volturno training ground, saying that they were supposed to be relaid and suggested the club is responsible for David Neres, Kvaratskhelia’s replacement calf injury, due to the club’s failure to re-lay the pitches.