Can Antonio Conte make history? Napoli's transformation ahead of Inter Milan title clash

Napoli’s transformation under Antonio Conte is perhaps no surprise given the Italian’s incredible success in Serie A. But the alacrity of the Neapolitan’s rise under the 48-year-old has perhaps raised a few eyebrows, especially after an alarming 3-0 defeat to Hellas Verona in their league opener. Napoli, however, have responded magnificently to win eight of their next ten games to sit one point ahead of Inter Milan ahead of the massive title showdown tonight - Atalanta are joint-top with Napoli.

Their recent 2-0 win against AC Milan at the San Siro felt like a significant moment as they displayed their title credentials despite Conte’s continued insistence that European qualification remains the target. The incredible scenes around the Diego Maradonna stadium after winning their first title in 33 years in 2022 became a distant memory during a disastrous title defence that witnessed three managerial changes and a 10th place finish. Conte has revitalised the famous club but could the iconic manager make history by winning the Scudetto?

Antonio Conte’s incredible record in Serie A?

Conte is one of the most decorated coaches in Serie A history winning the scudetto four times - three times with Juventus and once with Inter Milan. The former Chelsea boss also won the competition five times as a player but he will make history if he leads Napoli to the title this season. Conte will become the only manager in the history of the top five leagues to win a league title with three different clubs, which would further etch his name into folklore.

As the graphic above illustrates, Conte also comfortably has the best points per game record (2.27) of any coach in Serie A history to have managed over 50 games. Some legendary names feature on the list like Fabio Capello and Carlo Ancelotti but the Napoli manager’s record is easily the best. Moreover, Conte also set the record Serie A points total of 102 with Juventus during the 2013/14 season and that remains the only time a club has surpassed 100 points. Therefore, Conte boasts the best ppg record in a single season too, as displayed in the graphic below.

Can Napoli win Serie A this season?

Conte has repeatedly stressed that Napoli aren’t targeting winning the league this season but that’s ultimately mind-games from the masterful manager. Inter Milan, however, remain favourites to retain their title but Napoli’s prospects are significantly enhanced by not playing in Europe.

Napoli’s points per game record of 2.27 is one their best across the last ten seasons and it’s a monumental increase on their points tally last season. Conte has adapted from his preferred 3-5-2 formation to deploy a 4-3-3 with Scott McTominay excelling as an advanced midfielder and Romelu Lukaku thriving again under his favourite boss. After a costly defeat to Atalanta last weekend, Napoli’s next two games against Inter and Roma will be a serious test of their credentials but if they continue their form then Conte could land a remarkable achievement.