Antonio Conte laid naked the emotional toll of a gruelling title race, admitting that Napoli’s title-race involvement had pushed him past his limits.
Their penultimate match of the marketing campaign was a rollercoaster, ending in a 0-0 draw at Parma on Sunday that noticed them hit the woodwork thrice and have a stoppage-time penalty overturned after a prolonged VAR examine.
It means Napoli have received simply two of their final eight away video games in Serie A (D5 L1), after 5 consecutive away wins beforehand.
They’ve additionally drawn 10 video games within the league this season, together with eight within the second half of the marketing campaign.
After Inter additionally drew their match towards Lazio, Napoli head into the ultimate spherical with a one-point lead over the second-placed Nerazzurri, however Conte admitted the season was taking its toll on him.
“It’s actually essentially the most troublesome season of my profession,” Conte informed DAZN.
“I gave every part, I went past my limits. I additionally know I’m exhausted. I’m nearly reaching the top of this season.
“Napoli is fantastic for the fervour and enthusiasm, but it surely additionally brings with it calls for and expectations which might be usually larger than the real looking capabilities.”
Napoli can safe their second title in three years at residence towards Cagliari subsequent Sunday, in the event that they match Inter’s outcome at Como.
The Partenopei are given an 83.3% likelihood of clinching the Scudetto in accordance with the Opta supercomputer, with Inter’s hopes of a turnaround sitting at 16.7%.
“We’re near the Scudetto, however we nonetheless should take that closing step. It will likely be taken on our residence turf, with the assist of our followers,” Conte added.
“It’s a very troublesome marketing campaign, we’ve achieved what we wished to do, which was to bother the leaders to the top.
“We’ve got been on the prime for a very long time, regardless of a season filled with difficulties, however we by no means complained, we stored going, and we’re proper there to realize one thing unthinkable and historic for Napoli.”
But, on account of his pink card within the closing minutes of the Parma match, Conte won’t be on the bench towards Cagliari after what appeared like a scuffle with Parma coach Cristian Chivu.
“I used to be irritated by Parma’s obstruction at present, as I used to be used to English soccer, the place there aren’t all these stops for cramp, accidents, pretending to be injured, so it irritated me and that’s why I used to be despatched off,” he mentioned.
“It irritates me, since you work all yr to have a decisive match. I belief the employees and these lads, I above all belief the gang on the Stadio Maradona.”