Antonio Conte Confirms Mutual Exit from Napoli
Italian tactician Antonio Conte has officially departed Napoli by mutual consent, bringing an abrupt end to his spell at the Serie A club despite still having a contract that runs until 2027.
The club announced the decision earlier today, May 25, in a brief four‑word statement, less than 24 hours after Conte publicly revealed his intention to step down during a tense media conference alongside club president Aurelio De Laurentiis.
Season Recap and Title Race
Conte’s exit comes at the conclusion of a turbulent campaign that still saw Napoli finish second in Serie A after a 1‑0 victory over Udinese on Sunday. The result secured the runners‑up spot behind champions Inter Milan.
Reactions from President De Laurentiis and Conte
President De Laurentiis remarked, “Without the injuries, we would have been the champions,” a comment that prompted an immediate response from Conte.
Conte refused to downplay Inter’s title‑winning effort, stating, “That probably would not have happened. Inter’s merits need to be recognised. I’m sorry, but I don’t like clinging to these things. We have to acknowledge others’ victories and show respect. If we want respect, we have to give it. Inter deserved to win the league, with injuries or not.”
Conte on the Atmosphere in Naples
The former Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur manager also spoke candidly about what he described as a toxic atmosphere surrounding the club and the city.
“In Naples, I failed in one thing, I was unable to unite you,” Conte said. “I have seen so much poison, so many weeds: those who spread poison are failures. Napoli do not need this; these people should move away from Naples, which needs serious people.”
He added, “I failed from this point of view, and I realised that I would never be able to control the environment. The moment you can’t do that, which for me is a fundamental thing to fight against the superpowers like Milan or Inter, I realised that I couldn’t change things, and I said that I was taking a step back.”
Conte concluded by thanking De Laurentiis for the opportunity and acknowledging the Neapolitan fans’ understanding, calling it “the most important thing.”
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