“A trophy, two eliminations: Is Antonio Conte’s season full or empty?”

The 2025-26 season is proving to be a true test of resilience for Antonio Conte and his Napoli side. Despite lifting the Supercoppa Italiana trophy, the team is facing a wave of disappointments, with early exits in the Coppa Italia and the Champions League group stage. Now, the question arises: is Conte’s cup half full or half empty?

Napoli fans, who won the Serie A title last season, had high expectations for this year. However, after 24 matchdays, the team finds itself in third place, a staggering nine points behind league leaders Inter Milan. The eliminations from the Champions League and Coppa Italia have thrown a bucket of cold water on hopes for continued success.

The joy of winning the Supercoppa in December, following a victory over Milan in the semifinals and a triumphant final against Bologna, has been overshadowed by a series of setbacks. Injuries have been a constant concern, severely limiting Conte’s options. Key players such as Kevin De Bruyne, Frank Zambo Anguissa, and Billy Gilmour have been sidelined since October, while Matteo Politano and David Neres have faced intermittent physical issues. The situation with Romelu Lukaku is equally troubling, as the forward has only just made his season debut following a serious muscle injury in pre-season.

Following their elimination from the Coppa Italia, where Napoli was defeated by Como in a penalty shootout, Conte expressed his frustration but also defended his players. “I give credit to the guys because it wasn’t easy facing a Como team that had a full squad and rested for 10 days,” Conte stated, referring to the fatigue of his team after an intense match against Genoa, where they finished with one player less and lost another due to injury.

During the post-match press conference, the coach highlighted that since taking over in 2024, Napoli has won two titles – one Scudetto and one Supercoppa – thus defending his optimistic view that the glass is half full after 18 months in charge. “There are many positive things. It is true that we were eliminated from the Coppa Italia and the Champions League. Now, Serie A is what remains, and we have to do our best,” Conte emphasized.

Conte’s contract with Napoli runs until 2027, but it is certain that at the end of the season there will be a conversation with president Aurelio De Laurentiis to discuss the future. With only Serie A left to compete for, the pressure is mounting to secure a spot in the Champions League, which has become the minimum objective for the team this season.

Thus, the big question remains: will Conte be able to turn this difficult phase into an opportunity to cement his legacy at Napoli, or will the pressure and injuries continue to be an insurmountable obstacle? Napoli’s future in the coming weeks will be crucial in answering that question.