🕺 Antonio Conte returned to Serie A with high hopes, but his first game in charge of Napoli was anything but a victory dance. Instead, it was a chilly wake-up call as his team fell 3-0 to Hellas Verona, leaving fans and Conte feeling the frostbite. ❄️
\"We melted like snow in the sun after the first goal,\" Conte confessed. \"We should apologize to the Neapolitan people, who follow us with passion. I am the coach and it is right that I take full responsibility.\"
The match started with promise but turned into a nightmare for Napoli. Verona's Dailon Livramento opened the scoring, poking in Darko Lazovic's cross. Napoli's defense seemed to vanish, and things went from bad to worse. 😬
Adding to the woes, key player Khvicha Kvaratskhelia left the field with an injury, leaving fans holding their breath. 😥
Verona's substitute, Daniel Mosquera, made an instant impact, scoring twice in quick succession. The Colombian forward had been on the pitch for less than two minutes when he fired past Alex Meret in the 75th minute, and he doubled his tally in stoppage time, completely unmarked. Talk about making an entrance! 🎯
Napoli, who finished 10th last season after Luciano Spalletti led them to their first title in over 30 years, were hoping for a fresh start under Conte. But this performance has left much to be desired. 😞
\"We should be ashamed, and I have to be ashamed, as I am coach,\" Conte admitted. \"Those who know me know that today my heart is bleeding, and I hope that some of the players are also bleeding, so that would mean that at least we are on the right path.\"
With the season just kicking off, there's still time for a comeback. But Conte and Napoli will need to regroup fast if they hope to turn things around and bring some sunshine back to the passionate Neapolitan fans. ☀️
Elsewhere, Lazio secured a 3-1 victory over newly promoted Venezia, proving that the competition is heating up early. 🔥
Stay tuned, football fans! The Serie A drama is just getting started. 🎬⚽️
Reference(s):
Conte has work to do as Napoli 'melted like snow in the sun' at Verona
cgtn.com
