Antonio Conte Calls For Calm As Napoli's Title Dreams Go To The Wire Following Draw With Genoa

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Antonio Conte encouraged his Napoli squad to maintain perspective following their 2-2 draw with Genoa on Sunday. Despite the result, he believes they remain contenders for the Serie A title. Napoli had a three-point lead over Inter before the weekend, but Inter's 2-0 victory over Torino earlier that day has tightened the title race, reducing Napoli's lead to just one point.

Napoli took the lead twice during the match, with goals from Romelu Lukaku and Giacomo Raspadori. However, an own goal by Alex Meret and Johan Vasquez's late equaliser in the 84th minute allowed Genoa to secure a point. This was Napoli's first home draw since March 2024 when they were held by Udinese. It was also their first time conceding two or more goals at home since a 3-0 loss to Atalanta in November.

With just two matches remaining, Conte remains optimistic about Napoli's chances of winning the title. He acknowledges that reaching this stage was initially unimaginable and achieving it would be remarkable. "These fans deserve it, as the people of Naples always followed us with passion and enthusiasm," Conte told DAZN. "We are still going beyond our capabilities, so can only thank these players for everything."

Conte expressed disappointment over the draw, feeling it was undeserved. He emphasised that small details often determine outcomes and believed his team could have performed better in those aspects. "The bitterness today is because it was not a deserved draw," he said. "We did not deserve to drop these two points, but at the same time, we must remember we’ve lost the bonus that we had."

Napoli had an impressive 22 shots against Genoa, with 11 on target, yet they only managed an expected goals (xG) tally of 1.7. In contrast, Genoa had eight shots worth 0.7 xG and scored twice from just two shots on target. Andrea Pinamonti and Honest Ahanor both hit the post during the game; Ahanor's header led to Meret’s own goal.

Conte was visibly frustrated by Napoli's missed opportunities throughout the match. "Genoa had two shots on goal and scored both," he remarked. "These things happen too in football; when you concede a goal, you could’ve always done something better." Despite dominating possession and creating numerous chances, Napoli could not secure a win.

Looking Ahead

The team now needs six points from their final two games to clinch the Scudetto, which Conte still views as an incredible achievement given their season's progress. Reflecting on their performance against Genoa, he stated: "I could not have asked for more from my players... We must improve in these situations." The sense of disappointment lingers because they felt deserving of victory based on their efforts.

The upcoming matches will be crucial for Napoli as they aim to secure their place at the top of Serie A. With determination and focus on refining their game details, Conte hopes his team can achieve what seemed impossible at season's start.