Conte: Napoli Dream Not Extinguished Despite Draw

Napoli manager Antonio Conte sees 'fine line' between success and failure after 1-1 draw at Parma.

Apr. 12, 2026 at 3:25pm

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A fractured, cubist-style painting depicting a soccer match between Napoli and Parma, with the players' forms broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes in vibrant blue and yellow hues.Napoli's pursuit of the Scudetto hits a roadblock as their draw with Parma exposes the fine line between success and failure in Serie A.Parma Today

Antonio Conte and Napoli have regrets after the 1-1 draw at Parma, insisting there is 'a fine line' between success and failure, but the Scudetto dream 'is not extinguished.' Napoli saw this as a chance to close the gap on leaders Inter, but Parma proved a tough opponent once again. Conte acknowledged Napoli's mistakes led to the early goal and made it an uphill battle, but praised his team's effort in trying to win the game.

Why it matters

Napoli are currently six points behind league leaders Inter, so this draw was a missed opportunity to gain ground. However, Conte remains optimistic about Napoli's chances of securing a Champions League spot, even if their Scudetto dream is becoming increasingly difficult.

The details

Parma took the lead after just 33 seconds through Gabriel Strefezza, catching Napoli off guard. Despite dominating possession (74.5%) and putting in 37 crosses, Napoli struggled to create clear-cut chances and rarely tested Parma goalkeeper Zion Suzuki. Scott McTominay scored the equalizer for Napoli, but Conte lamented the fine margins between success and failure, saying his team should have been more focused to avoid the early goal.

  • Parma took the lead after just 33 seconds.

The players

Antonio Conte

The manager of Napoli, who expressed regret over the draw and acknowledged the fine line between success and failure.

Gabriel Strefezza

The Parma player who scored the opening goal after just 33 seconds.

Scott McTominay

The Napoli player who scored the equalizing goal.

Zion Suzuki

The Parma goalkeeper who kept Napoli at bay for most of the match.

Alessandro Buongiorno

The Parma player who was involved in the mix-up that led to Parma's early goal.

Juan Jesus

The Napoli player who was also involved in the mix-up that led to Parma's early goal.

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What they’re saying

“It is so obvious that there's no need to comment. We practice these situations over and over again in training, the match situation can be a bit more emotional and the wrong choices are made, but we have worked on this.”

— Antonio Conte, Napoli Manager

“I told the lads at the end of the match, there are such fine margins between the team that wins and the team that doesn't. We should've been more focused, instead we conceded that goal after 33 seconds.”

— Antonio Conte, Napoli Manager

“The dream is not extinguished, there are still six games for us to play. It was a dream tied exclusively to what those ahead of us do, and looking at Inter's statistics so far, it was always going to be an audacious dream.”

— Antonio Conte, Napoli Manager

What’s next

Napoli will continue their pursuit of a Champions League spot, with six games remaining in the season. Their chances of catching league leaders Inter remain slim, but Conte is determined to keep the Scudetto dream alive.

The takeaway

This draw highlights the fine margins between success and failure in Serie A. Napoli dominated possession and chances, but a lapse in concentration early on proved costly. While their Scudetto hopes may be fading, Conte remains optimistic about Napoli's ability to secure a top-four finish and qualify for the Champions League.