Antonio Conte has taken a fresh swipe at Manchester United after two of their former players were instrumental in Napoli securing the Italian Supercoppa, a victory that sealed a historic double for the club.
Maradona-Era Feat Matched with United Cast-Offs
Under Conte's leadership, Napoli defeated Bologna 2-0 in Saudi Arabia to lift the Supercoppa. This triumph, combined with last season's Serie A title, means the club has won two major trophies in a single calendar year for the first time since the legendary Diego Maradona inspired them to do so in 1990.
The success story is notably intertwined with Manchester United's recent transfer activity. Scott McTominay, sold to Napoli for £25.7 million in August 2024, was named Serie A Player of the Year after scoring 13 goals from midfield. Meanwhile, Rasmus Hojlund – a £72 million signing for United – was loaned to the Italian side after an injury to Romelu Lukaku and has since netted seven times.
Following the win, Hojlund posted a picture with the trophy on social media captioned, "What a great decision looks like." This prompted a characteristically pointed remark from manager Conte.
Conte's Pointed Question to United
"Everyone used to say Rasmus didn’t play in Manchester, neither did McTominay, so why?" Conte stated. "Ask yourselves some questions there." He added, "The staff and I had work to do, there is a reason we are here, after all."
The victory was secured with two goals from Brazilian winger David Neres, with key players like Kevin De Bruyne and Billy Gilmour absent through injury. Conte praised his team's preparation, noting the second goal came from a pre-planned move to exploit Bologna's weaknesses.
"Our job as a coach is to increase the knowledge of a player and make him stronger," Conte explained. "I feel like everyone I worked with emerged improved, in tactical understanding and movements, but also in mentality."
A Tenth Trophy Fueled by Past Pain
The Supercoppa marks Conte's tenth major trophy as a manager. The former Chelsea boss revealed that the motivation for such success often stems from past failures. "I can tell you that nobody bothers looking up the beaten finalists," he admitted, referencing losses in finals like the World Cup and Champions League.
"When you lose a final, it increases your determination, and you try not to experience those ugly moments again. They hurt because you know that it was a good journey, but you’ve got to put that cherry on top of the cake."
Club president Aurelio De Laurentiis hailed the achievement and Conte's influence, stating, "Not since the Maradona era have we won two trophies in a year. Conte is a master."
This triumph comes just six weeks after a turbulent period where Conte launched a stinging attack on his players following a 2-0 league defeat to the same Bologna side. Napoli now sits third in Serie A as they head into 2026.
Former England manager Fabio Capello dismissed talk of a crisis at the club, telling Gazzetta dello Sport: "Let’s not joke. What crisis? Napoli has excellent players and a winning coach in Conte... The Supercoppa win will be very important for the players’ mentality. A psychological turning point."
