Antonio Conte faces early pressure at Napoli as they prepare to host Bologna after a disappointing Serie A opener. With key players in doubt and fans demanding improvement, can Conte turn things around?
Bollywood Fever: It may be early days in the Serie A season, with Napoli set to play just their second game, but manager Antonio Conte is already feeling the heat as his side prepares to host Bologna.
The weight of expectation is heavy after last season’s disappointing 10th-place finish, which saw the sacking of two managers—Rudi Garcia and Walter Mazzarri—before Francesco Calzona stepped in to complete the campaign.
The appointment of Conte, a manager with a glittering resume that includes four Serie A titles with Juventus and Inter Milan, as well as a Premier League triumph with Chelsea, brought renewed hope that Napoli could return to the summit of Italian football.
However, that optimism was quickly dampened when Napoli suffered a 3-0 defeat in their season opener at Hellas Verona.
Conte had cautioned that rebuilding the team would take time, but Napoli fans were nonetheless dismayed by the performance and result.
Compounding Conte’s challenges has been the uncertainty surrounding the transfer window. The club is still waiting for an acceptable offer for striker Victor Osimhen, who has expressed a desire to leave.
Despite this, Napoli managed to secure the signing of Brazilian winger David Neres from Benfica this week, providing a much-needed boost to their attacking options.
Napoli’s struggles were evident even before their league opener, as they narrowly escaped a Coppa Italia upset against Serie B side Modena, advancing only after a penalty shootout.
With this in mind, fans will be expecting a vastly improved performance when they face Bologna on Sunday.
Adding to the pressure is the memory of last season’s home defeat to Bologna, a team that surprised many by finishing fifth under Thiago Motta, securing Champions League qualification.
Motta has since moved on to Juventus, with Vincenzo Italiano taking over at Bologna. The new manager began his tenure with a 1-1 draw against Udinese, but faces his own challenges after losing key players Riccardo Calafiori and Joshua Zirkzee to the Premier League.
Italiano will also be without forward Nicolo Cambiaghi, who suffered a knee injury in Bologna’s opener.
Despite these setbacks, Bologna will be confident in their chances against a Napoli side that already appears to be in trouble.
Conte may have Alessandro Buongiorno back in the lineup after the defender missed the first game, but the fitness of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia remains in doubt after he was forced off injured in the Verona match.
Last season, Napoli started with two wins before their campaign unraveled. They cannot afford to lose ground so early in a season that had promised much better.
Elsewhere in Serie A, Inter Milan’s title defense began with a subdued 2-2 draw at Genoa, a stark contrast to last season when they won their first five games.
They will be looking to get back on track when they host Lecce on Saturday, who are coming off a heavy 4-0 defeat to Atalanta.
AC Milan also opened their season with a 2-2 draw, at home to Torino, and now face a trip to Parma on Saturday to take on the promoted side, who managed to hold Fiorentina to a 1-1 draw last weekend.
Thiago Motta’s Juventus reign began brightly with a 3-0 win over Como, and they will travel to Verona on Monday, aiming to avoid the same fate that befell Napoli in their season opener.
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