Napoli head coach Antonio Conte believes his team has regained momentum in the Serie A title race following their 2-1 victory over AC Milan on Sunday.
The win brought Napoli within three points of league leaders Inter Milan, while third-placed Atalanta slipped up against Fiorentina.
Conte praised the result as a crucial step in securing Champions League qualification, an objective that has now evolved into a potential title push.
“Our goal was just to qualify for Europe, but after eight months of work, it would be crazy not to believe in something extraordinary,” he told DAZN.
Napoli dominated the first half, racing to a 2-0 lead with goals from Matteo Politano and Romelu Lukaku.
However, Milan responded in the second half through Luka Jovic, forcing Conte to make tactical adjustments to secure the victory.
“It was one of those days I hate being a coach,” Conte admitted. “We controlled the first half, but Milan are a strong team and strengthened in January.”
The hosts were forced to make last-minute changes due to squad issues. Scott McTominay missed out with flu symptoms, while Leonardo Spinazzola was sidelined with an injury.
Frank Anguissa played despite a recent injury, and David Neres, returning to the starting lineup, had not featured for a long time.
Conte acknowledged the difficulties but saw the win as a turning point in Napoli’s season. “We had to take risks, but this victory injects new optimism,” he said. “We must stay focused, with eight games left, and take it one step at a time.”
Despite an inconsistent run of form in recent weeks, Napoli’s performance against Milan has revived belief in their title ambitions. Conte emphasized the need for a fierce mentality in the final stretch of the season.
“We are doing something extraordinary and miraculous,” he said. “We have to keep fighting and then see where we stand at the end.”
