Antonio Conte hinted that he could leave Napoli at the end of the season because he “can't live on wonders instead of plans”.
Napoli kept their series a title Hope on Saturday alive, in which Scott McTominay won a 1-0 win over Monza and moved them on points with leaders Inter, who only play on Sunday.
It was their second victory in a row, the first time they have achieved successive victories since December and January (in that case seven in a row).
However, Conte had already fueled a controversy after comments before the match where he said he realized after eight months in the club: “There are some things you can't do” at Napoli.
There were also reports that the Italian was frustrated by the departure of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and the lack of a replacement.
Napoli was not predicted to challenge the Scudetto this season, after their 10th place last year, but Conte criticized the high expectations that were placed on him since he stepped into the Dugout.
“I am happy in Naples, just like my family, because there is sun, delicious food, the people are hospitable, but that is my private life, and I can't just stop there,” said Conte.
“I take a responsibility with me, and you in the media are the first to give it to me and to say that if Conte is on the couch, the team will win. Since you put that responsibility on me, I don't want to abandon the fans.
“I can't live with miracles instead of planning.”
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Conte specifically chose his relationship with President Aurelio de Laurentiis, with whom he said he will sit down at the end of the season to discuss his future in the club.
“I admire and respect the president,” Conte added. “They asked me to give a helping hand, and I do that, but the Napoli fans want to win, and they have this ambition. If they don't win, they can become filthy.
“I have to calculate everything; I am not stupid. I put great pressure on myself, but I also need the right weapons to fight, otherwise it is a massacre, and I don't want to be slaughtered.
“I will sit down with the president to talk, and then we will see. The income from the qualification of the Champions League will arrive. The sale of Kvaratskhelia has helped us, but now we will clearly talk to the president.
“I gave everything, with interest. Now we want to win together with my boys, who kill themselves with hard work.
“I have a good relationship with the Laurentiis, but I also need respect. [On Friday]I saw looting and zero respect. I don't care about that, but I was disappointed about looting our projects. I have to protect myself, otherwise it must have been a wonderful journey together.
“I do this for the Napoli fans and also for me. I will not hang my back there and let myself be abused.”
After the comments from Conte on Friday, the Laurentiis noted that he did not appreciate the timing with Napoli in the race for the title.
“Such evaluations during the process can cause unrest, so it is always better to keep that before the end,” he told Radio CRC, via Football Italia.
“All football teams are in a process of evolution until the end: the only script that you cannot write in advance is that of a football match and the season around it.
“We have a strong and muscular team; we will have a lot of fun in the coming years.”