Simeone: ‘Conte really reminds me of my father’ | OneFootball

Napoli striker Giovanni Simeone said that coach Antonio Conte ‘really reminds me’ of his father Diego, while Romelu Lukaku has also thoroughly impressed him.

The Partenopei are currently top of the Serie A table with 16 points after seven rounds and are still trying to find their feet under new boss Conte.

Notoriously a tough taskmaster in training sessions, this committed attitude is something that Simeone is somewhat familiar with already.

Simeone comparison for Conte

Atletico Madrid’s Argentinian coach Diego Simeone arrives for the UEFA Champions League last 16 first leg football match Inter Milan vs Atletico Madrid at the San Siro stadium in Milan on February 20, 2024. (Photo by Marco BERTORELLO / AFP) (Photo by MARCO BERTORELLO/AFP via Getty Images)

“The coach has his mind 100 per cent concentrated on Napoli,” the forward told Radio CRC.

“He really reminds me of my father Diego, because he has that passion for football and the game in his head. He sees everything, senses it all, and this comes from both his experience and watching many hours of football.

“This is how you know when to attack and when to defend, these are the qualities of a great coach.”

Giovanni Simeone grew up in a football family, as his father Diego was first a player in Serie A, then a coach at Catania before starting a long era at the helm of Atletico Madrid.

Meanwhile, the centre-forward has also been impressed by new signing Lukaku, who has pushed him onto the bench.

“Romelu really struck me. Obviously, he’s been well known as a player for years, but I was impressed by him as a person,” continued Cholito.

“He is very intelligent and a great teammate, always eager to help others out. This makes him a leader, as well as a great player.

“I can say that Neres, McTominay and Gilmour all arrived with that determination to help their teammates.”

Napoli are back in action on Sunday with the lunchtime kick-off after the break for international duty, so it starts at the Stadio Castellani at 12.30 local time.

“We are preparing for the match, both physically and tactically, but it’s a rather strange time to be playing,” concluded Simeone.