Napoli’s Challenges Deepen After Coppa Italia Exit

omidbasir- Napoli experienced a significant setback on Tuesday night as they were eliminated from the Coppa Italia quarter-finals by Como. The match, held at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, ended in a 1-1 draw after Como’s Antonio Vergara equalized a penalty from Napoli’s Martin Baturina. This led to a tense penalty shootout, which ultimately saw crucial misses from Romelu Lukaku and Stanislav Lobotka seal the hosts’ fate.

Following the match, manager Antonio Conte expressed his frustration primarily towards the referee. He felt that Como defender Jacobo Ramon should have received a red card for a foul on Rasmus Hojlund, a decision he criticized as indicative of the poor officiating standards in Italian football this season. Conte urged referee designator Gianluca Rocchi to address these issues, emphasizing that the current level of officiating is harming the sport in Italy.

“It’s certainly not a good season for referees and for VAR. I hope they can find a solution to improve the situation,” Conte stated in an interview with Sport Mediaset. “Everyone—coaches, players, and fans—are expressing their grievances. The sport must enhance its standards, as we strive to improve our teams and Rocchi should likewise enhance his referees and VAR officials. It’s detrimental to football; it’s detrimental to us.”

In addition to the refereeing controversies, Conte lamented the extensive injury crisis plaguing his squad. When asked if the Coppa Italia exit might enable Napoli to focus on closing the nine-point gap to Serie A leaders Inter, he dismissed the suggestion. Conte pointed to significant injuries affecting key players such as Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Kevin De Bruyne, and Billy Gilmour, which he argues limits his tactical options.

“What an absurd question,” Conte remarked. “How can one predict injuries like those of Di Lorenzo or Lukaku, or De Bruyne’s re-injured tendon, or Gilmour’s need for surgery? How can we foresee that?

“The only thing we can do is pray, as these injuries can extend through the whole season. With six or seven key players sidelined for months, it forces the remaining players to bear the burden, creating issues for [Scott] McTominay and [Amir] Rrahmani. I don’t believe another club has faced such a predicament.”

Conte was eager to protect his players from criticism, contending that they have exceeded expectations given their limited resources. He contrasted Napoli’s situation with Como, who arrived with a fully fit squad and a ten-day rest period, while Napoli had to assemble a team just three days after a demanding match against Genoa, where they finished with ten men.

Moreover, Conte criticized the club’s transfer strategy, revealing he was informed that they were unable to make any acquisitions in the transfer market, leaving him with an under-resourced squad that is being stretched to its limits.

“I can only commend these players for pushing beyond their current potential,” he stated. “We have very few resources, which are simply inadequate for the ambitions we should have had for this season. Despite this, the team is performing remarkably well. Any coach would struggle with the squad we have now.”

With exits from both the Coppa Italia and the Champions League, Napoli’s season risks losing momentum entirely. Conte was candid about his team’s standing among the league’s elite, citing Inter, AC Milan, Roma, and Juventus as superior competitors. He called for “serious evaluations” from the media, suggesting that any talk of defending their Scudetto or mounting a late challenge is disconnected from the reality of their situation.

“I believe what we are accomplishing this season is extraordinarily positive given the circumstances,” Conte concluded. “Regarding the Scudetto, we are nine points behind, facing serious issues, and yet discussions about the Scudetto persist. Let’s be realistic. There are stronger teams like Inter, Milan, Roma, Juventus, and even Como. We must approach these discussions seriously, or it all becomes absurd.”