Napoli market, new name for post-Antonio Conte sharply divides fans
Napoli has officially entered the post‑Antonio Conte phase. After last season’s Scudetto and the second place in the recently concluded championship, the Salento coach announced in front of reporters, and in the presence of Aurelio De Laurentiis, that his cycle in the shadow of Vesuvius has come to an end. Conte’s choice now opens up a very delicate front, that of the bench: while the club evaluates different profiles, among the fans the debate has already been ignited, especially after the very latest rumors.
In the last few hours, in fact, a name has popped up that has surprised everyone: according to ‘Il Mattino’, Napoli would have sounded out the availability of Xavi, Barcelona legend and Spanish national team player, just back from a chiaroscuro experience as coach right on the blaugrana bench. An international profile, that of the former midfielder, which immediately divided the square.
The reaction of a part of the fans, in fact, is far from enthusiastic. Many fear that with a foreign coach, among other things at the first impact with Serie A, we could relive a script already seen in the post-Scudetto year 2023, with Rudi Garcia (who had actually already coached in Italy but was returning from the Saudi experience) exonerated in mid-November after a nightmarish start to the season. The idea of starting again with another non-Italian profile makes one fear a new complicated start, with the risk of slipping into anonymity already in the first few days.
Xavi, for his part, is looking for a project that will allow him to relaunch himself after two years without a bench. Napoli, with a competitive roster and a demanding environment, could be an intriguing challenge, but the club knows well that the choice of the new coach will have to be pondered, because the margin for error is minimal and the square is not willing to relive another season of uncertainty.
Xavi aside, the Italian tracks remain alive, however. Vincenzo Italiano is the hottest name: fresh from his experience at Bologna, he is liked for his ideas, identity and ability to work with young groups. Raffaele Palladino, outgoing from Atalanta, is an option the club is carefully considering, while Maurizio Sarri seems destined precisely for the Bergamo bench. Also in the background remains Massimiliano Allegri, who could break free from AC Milan after the failure of the season’s goal, that of Champions League qualification.
