Antonio Conte concedes decimated Napoli had been out of steam of their 2-0 defeat to Benfica. ‘It’s a cumulative impact of so many video games, inevitably in the long term we’d pay a worth.’
The Partenopei fielded the identical beginning XI that beat Juventus on Sunday, and that fatigue began to actually present in Lisbon.
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They appeared sluggish and , whereas the Benfica goalkeeper was not often troubled by the Napoli forwards.
Conte admits Napoli are out of steam
LISBON, PORTUGAL – DECEMBER 10: Richard Rios of Benfica runs with the ball below stress from Eljif Elmas of SSC Napoli throughout the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Part MD6 match between SL Benfica and SSC Napoli at on December 10, 2025 in Lisbon, Portugal. (Photograph by Gualter Fatia/Getty Pictures)
“The reality is that we weren’t sharp from the very begin. Benfica, who had performed on Friday in comparison with us on Sunday after a long term of robust video games,” .
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“In these video games, we used up loads of bodily and psychological vitality. I had talked about vitality going into this match, as a result of I knew that in the long term we’d pay a worth. We struggled at the moment, they had been above all at first extra aggressive.
“We needed to be aggressive, however made a mistake with the press, allowed a harmful assault, and it scared us. So we had been too stretched out within the first half, weren’t aggressive sufficient within the press, above all behind their midfielders.
“Having mentioned all that, it’s comprehensible. We knew the difficulties of this match, and after they begin to pile up with six in a row each three days, you’ll inevitably pay a worth. Now we get residence late tonight, tomorrow the lads have a day without work, then on Friday we’ll put together for one more Serie A sport.
“The lads had been beneficiant, they tried to the very finish to present their all, however you can inform they weren’t sharp, weren’t making the best choices and missing high quality. I can not reproach them, as they gave the whole lot they’d.”
LISBON, PORTUGAL – DECEMBER 10: Antonio Conte, Head Coach of SSC Napoli (R), and Jose Mourinho, Head Coach of Benfica (C), speak on the aspect line previous to the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Part MD6 match between SL Benfica and SSC Napoli at on December 10, 2025 in Lisbon, Portugal. (Photograph by Gualter Fatia/Getty Pictures)
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This was a reunion between Conte and Jose Mourinho, because the pair had clashed many occasions in Serie A and the Premier League.
Nonetheless, it appeared a comparatively relaxed state of affairs on the touchline in comparison with their ordinary points.
“We ran to the top, we tried, however we had been like a diesel engine that wanted time to get warmed up,” famous Conte.
Napoli’s progress within the Champions League is now in big doubt, as they’ve simply seven factors after six video games, and sit on the very fringe of the elimination locations.
“I had mentioned even after the newest victory that we had been short-staffed and had few choices for squad rotation, to relaxation gamers. The tempo in Italy has improved significantly currently, however allow us to not overlook Benfica performed on Friday and we performed on Sunday, then needed to journey to Lisbon, so there are a lot of small components that pile up,” continued Conte.
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“It’s a cumulative impact of so many video games that ultimately weigh on you. I mentioned it after a win too. It’s not over but both, we’ve acquired to play once more on Sunday, I believe we’ll get residence at 4am tonight.”
LISBON, PORTUGAL – DECEMBER 10: Antonio Conte, Head Coach of SSC Napoli, offers the group directions throughout the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Part MD6 match between SL Benfica and SSC Napoli at on December 10, 2025 in Lisbon, Portugal. (Photograph by Gualter Fatia/Getty Pictures)
The harm disaster is immense, lacking Stanislav Lobotka, Billy Gilmour, Kevin De Bruyne, Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa, Miguel Gutierrez and Romelu Lukaku.
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“That is what we’ve acquired, and I’m pleased with these lads for giving their all, however you can inform we had been missing that sharpness. The state of affairs isn’t going to enhance in future, so we hope to get Lobotka and Gutierrez again quickly.
“We nonetheless don’t know when Lukaku might get into coaching with the group, he hasn’t carried out that but,” concluded the coach.