Conte Frustrated as Napoli Concedes Late Equaliser in Draw with Roma

Napoli coach Antonio Conte voiced his disappointment following a last-minute equaliser from AS Roma on Sunday, leaving him with a “bitter taste in the mouth”.

Leonardo Spinazzola had given Napoli an early advantage, but Roma’s Angelino equalised in stoppage time with a volley in a crowded penalty area, resulting in a 1-1 draw.

“A draw away to Roma isn’t a negative outcome, and seeing Roma celebrate so wildly after scoring a late equaliser shows we are making some significant strides here,” Conte said during the press conference.

“Roma had achieved seven consecutive victories at the Olimpico, which is always a challenging venue. It’s hard not to leave here feeling disappointed because we were in front right up until the 92nd minute without facing much pressure.”

Despite the draw, Conte acknowledged the progress his team has made, highlighting their seven points collected from recent fixtures against Atalanta, Juventus, and Roma.

“Occurrences like this are part of the development process for these players. It’s another point in the bag, and we’ll continue forward, content with our efforts and the gradual improvement,” he remarked.

“We need to understand that details can make all the difference, and we have to focus on learning from these situations.“

The Italian manager also mentioned how the transfer window has created some instability, especially after Napoli sold Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to Paris Saint-Germain last month.

“I’ve noticed that the transfer deadline has been extended to February 3rd; it appears to be getting longer rather than shorter, and this creates a challenging situation for coaches,” he said. “This instability is not something we desire.“