Antonio Conte showered reward on Napoli midfielder Scott McTominay, lauding his rise to prominence and rising affect on the group since becoming a member of the membership.
McTominay swapped Manchester United for Napoli in August final 12 months and has gone on to grow to be an important a part of the Partenopei’s Serie A title push this 12 months.
The Scotland worldwide has 12 targets and two assists in 32 appearances throughout all competitions, with three of these strikes coming in his final 5 league matches.
Certainly, within the twenty first century, solely McTominay and Marek Hamsik (4 occasions) have completed a top-flight marketing campaign with not less than 10 targets from midfield for Napoli.
Hamsik holds the document with 12 targets, which he managed in 2009-10 and 2016-17, with McTominay only one away from equalling the Slovakian’s league whole.
Napoli journey to the Stadio Ettore Giardiniero on Saturday to face Lecce, main the Serie A summit by three factors to Inter with 4 video games of the marketing campaign remaining.
And Conte highlighted the significance of McTominay in Napoli’s success this time period.
“He feels extra full and educated, and he’s reaching a key stage in his profession the place he must resolve his course,” Conte advised reporters on Friday.
“He by no means had a major function at Man United, whereas right here we gave him one. He’s labored exhausting and now he’s an entire participant.
“His enchancment has been shared by the entire group. In any other case, it will be exhausting to elucidate how we’ve earned 74 factors.”
Napoli’s enchancment from the 2023-24 season has been stark, with the membership ending in tenth and lacking out fully on European soccer.
At this level within the marketing campaign, Napoli are the group which have improved essentially the most in comparison with the identical stage final season, incomes 24 extra factors this time round.
They’re 4 video games away from glory, with all of these fixtures coming in opposition to sides within the backside half of the Serie A desk.
With seemingly simpler opponents on paper, the assumption in Napoli successful a second title in three seasons is beginning to develop, however Conte is taking nothing as a right.
“We all know it will be distinctive, however we haven’t achieved something but. I do know soccer properly and we have to stay targeted,” he stated.
The 55-year-old is in pole place to win his fifth Serie A crown as a supervisor after one with Inter and three at Juventus.
“I’ve gained a couple of Scudetti and proper now we’re making an attempt to do one thing unimaginable, unimaginable, one thing that would undoubtedly carry big pleasure to the membership and the town … and it will be distinctive,” Conte stated.
“However we haven’t achieved something but. I do know soccer and it calls for nice focus.
“My message to everybody across the membership is: keep united. No matter occurs tomorrow, there’ll nonetheless be three matches left, and we’ve a stable base – we’ll be within the Champions League subsequent season and that’s vital.
“At the moment we’re combating for the Scudetto and that ought to be a supply of delight and pleasure. After simply two years, Napoli are again competing for the highest prize.”