Conte admits Napoli have ‘a lot of work to be done’ but rules out tactical changes

Antonio Conte admitted Napoli have “a lot of work to do” following their humiliating 6-2 collapse against PSV in the Champions League, but insisted he will not be changing his tactical approach.

The Italian’s side endured a disastrous night at the Philips Stadion on Tuesday, squandering an early lead after Scott McTominay’s 31st-minute header put them in front.

PSV hit back almost immediately, with Alessandro Buongiorno turning Ivan Perisic’s cross into his own net before Ismael Saibari calmly side-footed home to complete the turnaround within seven minutes.

Dennis Man struck a third shortly after the break as Napoli unravelled, and their night worsened when Lorenzo Lucca was sent off for dissent.

Man then added his second, before McTominay grabbed a late consolation header. Substitutes Ricardo Pepi and Couhaib Driouech piled on the misery in the closing minutes, exchanging goals and assists to seal an emphatic win for the Dutch side.

Despite the nature of their loss, though, Conte insisted that he won’t be rushing to make any tactical changes, with a crucial Serie A clash against Inter Milan looming this weekend.

“I see these players every day, and when I try to calm things down, it’s not looking for excuses,” Conte told Sky Sport Italia.

“It’s because I can see things that suggest to me this is going to be a complicated campaign.”

When asked about tactical adjustments, he replied: “What do you mean? If you win, it’s all good, if you lose then it’s all bad?

“Everyone praised using four midfielders, people said [Kevin] De Bruyne was bad after one game, then after Sporting they said he could not be replaced.

“We’ve been trying to get the four midfielders to co-exist together. In my view, a good coach is able to choose his best players in the starting XI and find the right alchemy. We have been able to do that at times.

“Inevitably, there will always be someone who complains that this or that figure isn’t playing, but what are we meant to change tactically?

“We’ve found the best balance right now, and two very attacking wingers is not giving us balance, so I see no need to sacrifice one of the midfielders right now.”

Conte, though, acknowledged the scale of the defeat but urged his team to treat it as a lesson rather than a setback.

“There is certainly disappointment, but these situations are never a fluke. We must do well to make the most of what happened tonight to change tack,” he said.

“But this is the level of the Champions League. We cannot complain. There is a lot of work to be done, but we know that it will take a real struggle this season, so we’ve got to be ready to put that work in.”

The result marked the first time Napoli have conceded six goals in European competition, and the first time overall since a 6-3 Serie A defeat to Sampdoria in December 1997.

The Italian also added that replicating last season’s Scudetto heroics this season with a congested schedule and more players would be a big challenge for the Partenopei.

“Last season, we won the Scudetto in an extraordinary, incredible way, having very few players when everyone went beyond their limitations,” Conte said.

“We had great unity and solidity. Inevitably, playing in Europe and adding many more new players, who in my view were too many, because nine new faces in a locker room is no mean feat. We were forced to do that.

“Since the start of the season, I said this was going to be tough, because I have experience, I know what it takes to absorb these changes.”