Conte Criticises Busy Serie A Schedule After Allegri’s Remarks

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Antonio Conte combined criticism of the crowded fixture list with a pointed remark about Massimiliano Allegri, speaking after receiving the Panchina d'Oro award while Napoli handled growing injury concerns and continued defending the Serie A title following a 2-1 victory over Fiorentina.

That win against Fiorentina was overshadowed by Giovanni Di Lorenzo suffering a knee problem. Tests showed a second-degree sprain, so surgery is not required, but the captain still faces a spell out. Frank Anguissa, Kevin De Bruyne and David Neres are already unavailable, leaving Napoli stretched during a demanding sequence of matches.

Allegri addressed reporters before Juventus' match against Bologna on Tuesday and argued that the calendar needs a rethink for the good of football. Conte questioned those remarks, noting Juventus are not involved in European competitions this season, and said: "I dont know what Allegri said in his press conference. Surely this year, he is not playing that much."

Conte collected the Panchina d'Oro for best Serie A coach in 2024-25 after guiding Napoli to the Scudetto. The recognition came as Napoli tried to stay competitive across domestic commitments, and the coach again used media duties to press concerns shared by many staff about match congestion and player workload.

Napoli's medical list underlined Conte's concerns. Di Lorenzo's absence adds to Anguissa's physical problems and knocks for De Bruyne and Neres. Each injury leaves fewer rotation options and heightens the impact of every additional fixture. The situation reflects a wider debate across European football about how many games elite players are being asked to contest.

"I think we all agree. The problem is that its hard to speak out and take a position, because everyone talks, but then nobody does anything. Thats the truth. Well keep going like this, knowing that what I said is true anyway. There are institutions in charge of these matters. The German federation was taking a stance to do something, but it couldnt act on its own, for example, as a group of coaches. As for the Serie A teams, those are situations that dont concern me directly, but its a problem we all agree on, including the media, because too many matches are played and the risk is too high. But in the end, nothing is being done, thats the truth."

Conte highlighted that governing bodies must lead any change and pointed to the German federation's attempt to act as an illustration of the limits facing national associations. Conte stressed that Serie A clubs and the media share concerns about excessive fixtures and rising injury risks, yet concrete measures have still not followed those discussions.

Even with those wider doubts unresolved, Napoli moved to strengthen attacking depth by bringing in Alisson Santos from Sporting CP on Monday. The forward arrived on loan with an option to buy, giving Conte another option in the final third as Napoli try to balance performance, results and squad health during a demanding fixture list.