Napoli confirmed Conte’s departure in a short statement after manager and president fell out

Napoli confirmed the departure of manager Antonio Conte on Monday with a short four-word statement, less than 24 hours after announcing his departure at a press conference where he and club president Aurelio De Laurentiis exchanged words.

“Thank you for everything, coach,” the club wrote on its social media page.

Napoli ended the season with a 1-0 home win over Udinese on Sunday, securing second place behind Serie A champions Inter Milan. ‌Conte ⁠ announced at a press conference that he would resign before clashing with the president.

De Laurentiis claimed Napoli would have defended their league title had his side not been depleted by fitness issues during the campaign.

Napoli struggled for much of the second half of the season, with key players such as Scott McTominay, Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo sidelined for long periods.

“Without the injuries we would have been champions,” said De Laurentiis.

The comments prompted an immediate response from Conte, who sat next to the president, who urged greater respect for Inter’s performance.

“That probably wouldn’t have happened,” Conte said. “Inter’s merits must be recognised.

«I’m sorry, but I don’t like to hold on to these things. We have to recognize the victories of others and show respect. If we want respect, we have to give it. Inter deserved to win the league, with injuries or not.»

The duo revealed that the decision to end their professional relationship was made months earlier in the campaign.

De Laurentiis declined to name a target to succeed Conte but suggested the returning players could prove effective under a new leadership style.

Published on May 25, 2026