Antonio Conte returns to Serie A.
For his return to the Italian Championship after a three-year absence, Antonio Conte experienced a nightmare: his team, Naples, sank in Verona (3-0), Sunday August 18 in the context of the 1st day.
Napoli created the clearest chance of a lacklustre first half when Khvicha Kvaratskhelia narrowly missed the target in the 45th minute before being forced to return to the dressing room with a muscle problem.
Without their Georgian striker or his Nigerian alter ego Victor Osimhen, whom the club hopes to sell by the end of the transfer window, the 2023 Italian champions lost their footing, conceding a first goal from Tino Livramento (50th), then a double from Daniel Mosquera (75th and 90th+4th).
Conte, a former Juventus coach (2011-14) and ex-Italy coach (2014-16), had not managed a Serie A team since May 2021 when he left Inter Milan.
He has since coached Tottenham between November 2021 and March 2023, before being recruited by Napoli last June after a disastrous 2023-24 season which saw them finish 10th after being managed by three different coaches.
On the eve of the meeting, Conte had warned the demanding Neapolitan fans that they would have to be patient: “We need a total reconstruction”he had explained to them.
He apologized to them after the match: “I am the coach, I have to take responsibility, our performance in the second half was unacceptable.”
“At the first difficulty, the team dissolved and I find that serious”Conte regretted.
Qualified for the first time in its history for the Champions League thanks to Thiago Motta, who has since left for Juventus Turin, Bologna started its season with a draw at home against Udinese (1-1).
For its return to Serie A after a three-year absence, Venice opened the scoring in the 3rd minute before losing 3-1 to Lazio in Rome.
AS Roma, for their part, had to settle for a draw (0-0) at Cagliari.
On Saturday, defending champions Inter Milan had to settle for a point in a 2-2 draw away to Genoa.
The first day ends on Monday with the first match of Juventus Turin, Thiago Motta’s version, against Como.
