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

epa04378043 Italian national soccer team head coach Antonio Conte (L) and the national team’s new manager Gabriele Oriali (R) pictured in the stands during the Italian Serie A soccer match between AC Milan and SS Lazio at the Giuseppe Meazza stadium in Milan, Italy, 31 August 2014. EPA/DANIEL DAL ZENNARO

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).

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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

Oriali has been working with Conte for many years, including their Scudetto-winning campaign at Inter, and a role with the Italy gruppo. 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.”

Conte repeatedly noted that Napoli finished 10^th 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.”