'We must stay grounded' - Conte tempers Napoli's Scudetto ambitions
Napoli moved six points clear at the Serie A summit with their 2-1 win over Juventus, but Antonio Conte had no interest in the title talk.
Antonio Conte was quick to temper Napoli's Serie A title hopes after watching his side come from a goal down to beat Juventus 2-1 on Saturday.
Randal Kolo Muani's opening goal was cancelled out by Frank Anguissa's header before Romelu Lukaku sealed the victory from the penalty spot in the 69th minute.
Saturday's win moved Napoli six points clear at the summit of the standings, though second-placed Inter have two games in hand and face Lecce on Sunday.
Napoli have now achieved at least 17 victories in the first 22 matches played in a single Serie A season for only the third time in their history, after 2017-18 when they finished second, and 2022-23, their last Scudetto triumph.
Conte's side have also won seven games in a row in Serie A for the first time since the period between January and February 2023 (eight under Luciano Spalletti).
Napoli now have 53 points, the same total that Spalletti's team had at this stage in their title winning season two years ago, but Conte urged his squad to stay grounded.
"We must never extinguish the enthusiasm because it’s our lifeblood. However, we must stay grounded because what we've done so far is extraordinary," Conte said.
"We have already matched last year's points, and this is without (Victor) Osimhen, Kvara (Khvicha Kvaratskhelia), and Piotr (Zielinski)," he added, referring to three key players who have left the club this season, albeit with Osimhen on loan.
"It’s nice to see that, despite the difficulties with the (transfer) market and injuries, nothing changes.
"We need to stay humble and keep working. Today, though, we beat a great team that had left us far behind last year."
Napoli have responded well to their poor defence of their Scudetto last season, having finished 10th with 53 points.
Conte added that his side performed well above expectations against Juventus, who had not lost a game in Serie A this season under Thiago Motta.
In fact, Napoli won a Serie A match against Juventus from a losing position for the first time since 11 September 2021, also at home and also for a 2-1 victory.
"The intensity today was like a European match, with very high rhythms and full-field pressure," he said.
"We took some risks and yet some still say we play with a low defensive line and on the counter-attack. Sometimes it feels like I’m dreaming."
Despite the good run Napoli are on, Conte is still holding his cards close to his chest regarding the transfer window.
Napoli have already strengthened with the permanent signing of Luis Hasa, while also welcoming Simone Scuffet and Philip Billing on loan.
They have also registered their interest in Manchester United attacker Alejandro Garnacho, but Conte said that his focus was performances on the pitch.
"It’s not just about bringing someone in ... Everyone is good at saying who is missing, and I could easily say what we need too," Conte concluded.
"But my role as head of the group forces me to focus on the players I already have and to make a difference with them.
"Let’s see what happens, but I remain calm because I know I have a group of players ready to fight with me."