Antonio Conte is completely satisfied for Romelu Lukaku’s , feels this season is ‘making me a greater coach’ and warns Napoli nonetheless ‘danger lacking out on Europe.’
It was shaping as much as be one other tense night for the Partenopei, who had scraped one level from the final two Serie A rounds.
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Rasmus Hojlund had opened the scoring, then his deflection wrong-footed Alex Meret on the Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro strike, however with the final kick of the sport Romelu Lukaku popped up with the winner on the Stadio Bentegodi.
Conte studying from Napoli struggles
VERONA, ITALY – FEBRUARY 28: Antonio Conte head coach of SSC Napoli throughout the Serie A match between Hellas Verona FC and SSC Napoli at Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi on February 28, 2026 in Verona, Italy. (Picture by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Photographs)
“It is a season that I’ll carry with me, as a result of it’s educating me a lot about easy methods to cope with conditions I’d by no means skilled earlier than,”
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“A coach additionally has to enchantment to the human factor, discover the precise phrases, know the stability between the carrot and the stick.
“This expertise is bettering me in so some ways. Coping with all these conditions is under no circumstances straightforward. I really feel that it’s making me a greater coach.
“We discover a method to keep on our toes and discover the precise approach by way of, not simply on a soccer stage, however as human beings too.”
VERONA, ITALY – FEBRUARY 28: Paolo Sammarco head coach of Hellas Verona embraces Antonio Conte head coach of SSC Napoli throughout the Serie A match between Hellas Verona FC and SSC Napoli at Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi on February 28, 2026 in Verona, Italy. (Picture by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Photographs)
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There had been a lot controversy over the refereeing in current weeks, and there was extra right here, as Napoli felt there was a foul earlier than the nook was awarded for the Verona purpose.
Nevertheless, Lukaku made his mark off the bench along with his first purpose in 9 months,
“Lukaku had such a critical damage, I do know all too effectively how a lot he has suffered with this case, as he needs to assist Napoli and assist me, for the rapport that now we have,” continued Conte.
“We’re cuddling him and dealing exhausting, he’s not but the participant that we all know, however he’s getting there. This purpose will give him confidence, the World Cup is developing, I’d love for each him and Kevin De Bruyne to play in it.”
VERONA, ITALY – FEBRUARY 28: Romelu Lukaku of SSC Napoli celebrates after scoring his crew second purpose throughout the Serie A match between Hellas Verona FC and SSC Napoli at Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi on February 28, 2026 in Verona, Italy. (Picture by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Photographs)
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Lukaku had not scored in Serie A since Might 2025 towards Cagliari, a niche of 281 days, and maybe had not anticipated to internet such a decisive, dramatic purpose.
“He had one other couple of probabilities, together with towards Juventus. We all know he could make his presence felt within the penalty space. If you’re attacking, and the opponents are defending in numbers, Lukaku turns into a basic determine.
“If you’re attacking the area, he would possibly battle somewhat extra. We threw him on and he did his job. I hope it can give him confidence, we’d like everybody.”
Napoli had been about to drop extra treasured factors and danger sliding out of the highest 4, however this outcome retains them within the Champions League spots forward of Roma vs. Juventus.
VERONA, ITALY – FEBRUARY 28: Antonio Conte head coach of SSC Napoli throughout the Serie A match between Hellas Verona FC and SSC Napoli at Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi on February 28, 2026 in Verona, Italy. (Picture by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Photographs)
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When requested about his future, Conte made some cryptic feedback.
“I signed a three-year contract, so there’s nonetheless one left to go. Let’s take into consideration the current, so we will write ourselves the absolute best future, which suggests taking part in within the Champions League.
“It’s going to be a troublesome combat, we all know that, as a result of different groups are in higher conditions, whereas we try to get gamers again in form.
“We all know that we genuinely danger lacking out on Europe solely, we’re scraping the underside of the barrel right here. We did effectively to take the factors dwelling at present, figuring out that we will play a lot better than this.”