Conte refutes idea that Milan-Napoli is a Scudetto marker: “It’s the fifth round”

Antonio Conte does not believe that AC Milan vs. Napoli is a game that will yield major indications regarding the Scudetto.

There are a lot of different sub-plots to the game between Milan and the champions on Sunday night. One of them is the renewal of the battle between Massimiliano Allegri and Conte after over 12 years since their last meeting.

They are the two active coaches with the most Scudetti, with Conte one behind his compatriot but a real chance to draw level given that the Azzurri are favourites to defend their title. There is a different feeling about the Rossoneri though, who have won four in a row across all competitions.

‘We’ll fight for the win’

Conte spoke at his pre-match press conference on the eve of the trip north for his side and he spoke about the game in depth, with his comments relayed by TMW.

Allegri called it the first big match, for you it’s the second, but the City game was a tough one. Is it a serious test for you?

“When you play teams like Milan, Inter, or Juventus, they’re always big matches. We’re talking about teams with history, tradition, and impressive records, and every year they come here to aim for the top.

“We always respect everyone, from them to the newly promoted teams. They’ll always be tough matches, but San Siro will also be a great showcase for the lads, and we’ll fight for the win.”

Photos by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images

Is it too early to call it a Scudetto game?

“Let’s focus on the match, it’s the fifth round, any other definition would be too hasty. Everyone has a season to play for. Who’s favourite, who’s less so, Scudetto or not, time will tell. We want to do our part, like Milan.

“Each team will want to do their best and one will win, while the others will compete for the Champions League and Europe. In any case, I see a very balanced situation, and we’ll have to wait at least until the first half is done to understand the situation.”

It’s a test of maturity, do you think everyone is ready for tomorrow?

“We’ve changed a lot of players, a lot of new additions. It takes a bit of patience with all the new players, but we know it, we knew it, and we’re ready to deal with the situation. They’ll gain experience by playing these types of matches.”