Conte: ‘Napoli cannot sit and wait for sporting death’ | OneFootball

Antonio Conte outlines where Napoli need to improve and the elements he was impressed with after today’s 3-0 friendly win over Mantova. ‘I don’t want a team that defends and waits for sporting death.’

The Partenopei saw off Serie B side Mantova this evening with goals from Jesper Lindstrom, Leonardo Spinazzola and Walid Cheddira.

They were again using a 3-4-2-1 formation, but with Cheddira as something of a False 9, while Victor Osimhen was once more not even on the bench.

“It was a good test, we are coming off nine days of hard work in both physical and tactical terms,” Conte told OneFootball.

“I saw a lot of good things, like the pressing and a very high defensive line. We must be better at taking control of the game, though.”

Conte has new ideas for Napoli

Napoli continue their preparations for the new campaign, a radical change after a season that saw four different coaches and multiple tactical systems.

“Winning helps us to keep winning. I repeat, we must do better in possession, but I am very satisfied for the aggression and the high line. We need to work and improve, so with the arrival of the internationals it will certainly be an improvement.”

Conte is famous for working his players extraordinarily hard in training and they have been seen collapsed in a heap at the end of a session.

Nonetheless, the former Juventus, Chelsea, Inter and Tottenham boss warns he’s been going easy on them.

“We started slowly, then the group adapted. The more we go on, the more the lads will understand. The important thing is to bring great intensity to the matches. I don’t want a team that defends and waits for sporting death.

“We’ve got to play more on the passing channels.”

The next matches for Napoli will be against Egnatia on July 28, Brest on July 31 and Girona on August 3.

The first competitive game is going to be the Coppa Italia preliminary round tie with Modena on August 10.