Oriali: ‘Napoli extraordinary, more competitive teams behind us’ | OneFootball

Antonio Conte’s advisor Lele Oriali assures Napoli ‘had an extraordinary season’ just by challenging for the Scudetto, as ‘there are teams far more competitive than ours who sit behind us in the table.’

The trip to Parma kicks off at the Stadio Tardini at 19.45 UK time (18.45 GMT, 20.45 CET).

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from tonight’s nine Serie A games on the LIVEBLOG.

The Partenopei are suddenly feeling nervous, as the 2-2 home draw with Genoa cut their lead at the top of the table to just a single point from Inter.

“We had an extraordinary year so far and I want to thank all those who contributed to achieving the objective we had set at the start of the season, which was to qualify for Europe. We got in through the front door,” Oriali told DAZN in a rare interview.

“We also got into the semi-final of the Supercoppa Italiana, so I don’t think anyone could’ve expected more than this.”

Oriali is Conte’s right hand man at Napoli

epa12092721 Napoli’s head coach Antonio Conte during the Italian Serie A soccer match SSC Napoli vs CF Genoa at Diego Armando Maradona stadium in Naples, 11 May 2025. EPA-EFE/CESARE ABBATE

Oriali has been working with Conte for many years, including their Scudetto-winning campaign at Inter, and a role with the Italy staff. Has the coach changed?

“He is a little older and has some more grey hairs, as do I. The experience he brought to Napoli with his work ethic and a winning mentality make him unique. He is the best when dealing with complicated situations, like the one that we inherited.”

NAPLES, ITALY – APRIL 14: Antonio Conte Napoli head coach during the Serie A match between Napoli and Empoli at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on April 14, 2025 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)

Conte repeatedly noted that Napoli finished 10th last season in Serie A, even though many of the same players won the Scudetto in 2023 under Luciano Spalletti.

“Since the start of the season, we have been speaking in a clear and decisive manner to a squad that had come off a very negative campaign. We brought principles, work ethic, discipline, and all that helped us to achieve an extraordinary campaign,” added Oriali.

“There are teams who are far more competitive than ours, yet sit behind us in the table.”

Napoli were not shaken by the many reports that Conte is looking to leave the club this summer after just one season at the helm.

“We always kept rumours outside of the training ground. We never let all these destabilising rumours distract us from this objective.”