The former England boss Fabio Capello claimed the Serie A champions had no “heart” and that the ex-Chelsea and Tottenham boss lacked “joy” after witnessing their embarrassing defeat to PSV Eindhoven
Fabio Capello has slammed Napoli and Antonio Conte and Napoli after the Serie A champions suffered a 6-2 humiliation at PSV Eindhoven.
The historic result was the first time Napoli have ever conceded six goals in Europe – or a Conte team has ever conceded half a dozen in a single game. And the heavy defeat continued the terrible Champions League record of the former Juventus, Chelsea and Spurs boss.
Scott McTominay had opened the scoring but the southern club conceded three goals after Lorenzo Lucca’s stupid 76th-minute red card for dissent. Gazzetta dello Sport said: “We cannot remember an Antonio Conte team dominated and humiliated in this way”
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Former England boss Capello claimed Conte lacked “joy” and told Sky Sports Italia: “They were overwhelmed by PSV’s dynamism. I saw a Napoli without heart – it was truly sad.
“I would never have imagined that Napoli, coached by someone as determined and influential as Conte, could play like this.
“Antonio looked really dejected on the bench from the start. It was strange not to see him alive and alert as always. It surprised me to see him that way tonight.”
Conte responded: “I’ve never given a sense of joy from the touchline, if anything determination and anger! I think the first half overall wasn’t bad. I try to help my players, perhaps it was my fault that I was less aggressive on the bench and therefore we lost 6-2. Next time I’ll throw a chair, like a lion tamer!”
Rasmus Hojlund, Stanislav Lobotka, Amir Rrahmani and Romelu Lukaku were all out injured but Conte had demanded a bigger squad this season to challenge in Europe.
“There is certainly disappointment, but these situations are never a fluke,” Conte added. We must do well to make the most of what happened tonight to change tack. Last season, we won the Scudetto in an extraordinary, incredible way, having very few players when everyone went beyond their limitations.
“We had great unity and solidity. Inevitably, playing in Europe and adding many more new players, who in my view were too many, because nine new faces in a locker room is no mean feat. We were forced to do that. Since the start of the season, I said this was going to be tough, because I have experience, I know what it takes to absorb these changes.”
But Conte has now won only 16 and lost 15 of his 45 Champions League matches Juventus, Chelsea, Tottenham, Inter Milan and Napoli and never got beyond the quarter-finals. Napoli lost their opening game 2-0 at Manchester City last month.
“This is the level,” warned Conte. “This is the level of the Champions League. We cannot complain. There is a lot of work to be done, but we know that it will take a real struggle this season, so we’ve got to be ready to put that work in.”
Gazzetta dello Sport gave two-goal McTominay Napoli’s top mark of 6.5 out of 10 – “the only smile in a nightmare night” – but awarded De Bruyne five said: “Few flashes, few ideas, and above all, no solution to save the sinking ship”.
Napoli are third in Serie A after the weekend defeat at Torino – a point behind leaders Milan and level with Inter Milan who they face on Saturday.
Former Manchester United midfielder McTominay said: “That’s football, you have to take the hit. We should have defended better. I know we were down to 10 men and it’s difficult to get back into the game, but we have to do better than we showed in the last 10-15 minutes.
“We have to reset because we have a big game this weekend.”
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Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games next season, an increase of up to 100 more.
