Antonio Conte explains Napoli exit, blames ‘poison’ around club

Antonio Conte has officially confirmed his departure from Napoli, bringing an end to a dramatic and emotionally charged spell at the Serie A club.

The Italian tactician disclosed that he decided to step down more than a month ago after becoming increasingly frustrated with internal tensions and what he described as a “poisonous” atmosphere surrounding the club.

Conte made the revelation after Napoli concluded their Serie A campaign with a narrow 1-0 win over Udinese on the final day of the season.

Despite guiding Napoli to the 2024/25 Serie A title during his time in charge, the former Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur boss admitted he could no longer continue under the existing conditions.

“I failed in one thing at Napoli: I wasn't able to bring compactness to the club. If you can't achieve that, it becomes difficult to compete. I've seen a lot of poison, and those who spread it are failures. Napoli doesn't need failures. It needs serious people who truly love the club,” Conte said.

The experienced manager explained that divisions within the club ultimately convinced him that his project at Napoli could not continue successfully.

He added, “These people should stay away because they are harmful. I understood that I would never be able to compact the environment, and for me, that unity is fundamental.”

Conte also revealed that his concerns intensified after Napoli’s clash against Bologna earlier in the campaign, when he sensed the dressing room atmosphere deteriorating.

“After the Bologna game, I started noticing situations I didn’t like. I have never had anonymous seasons and never will. I called the president a month ago and told him I felt my journey here was coming to an end,” he said.

Following confirmation of his departure, speculation immediately emerged about a possible return to the Italian national team for Conte.