Following Napoliโs defeat to Benfica in the Champions League, manager Antonio Conte bemoaned the teamโs relentless schedule and limited squad rotation, suggesting the intense period of games played by the same core group contributed to the loss.
As reported by La Gazzetta dello Sport, Conte spoke about the difficulty of the match in Lisbon and the toll the demanding fixture list is taking on his players:
โThe match was tough and difficult, on a hot field. We come from a series of matches played at three-day intervals and we have always used the same players, it is normal that we then suffer from fatigue.โ
Conte highlighted the imbalance in recovery time compared to their opponents: โThe match on Sunday was a big one, we played in the evening and had to travel, Benfica played on Friday and had two extra days. We have to take this into account, given the situation we are in.โ
He stressed the lack of alternatives in his squad: โI talked about energy because I know how much we have spent both physically and mentally. It is not that we have other solutions, if not trying to recover as best as possible. Surely someone was tired and it showed, there is no possibility of making many rotations.โ
The coach admitted that the fatigue led to poor decision-making: โNot being bright, even mentally, leads to making wrong choices or not being precise in the quality of the play. At the beginning we struggled, making mistakes uncharacteristic of us.โ
Conte concluded by expressing hope for a quick recovery for some injured players, adding that he does not know when Romelu Lukaku will be available.
Napoli currently have a host of injuries in midfield and this forced them to play Scott McTominay and Eljif Elmas deeper in unfamiliar roles. This can now spark the need for January additions.
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Kaustubh Pandey I GIFN
