After today’s 0-0 draw against his Napoli side, Antonio Conte saluted Juventus fans and said at a post-match press conference that the Bianconeri would ‘never be enemies.’
The Italian tactician returned to the Allianz Stadium for the first time in three years.
However, it was the first time his team played in front of a crowd in Turin, as the previous three matches with Inter had been behind closed doors during the COVID pandemic.
Conte saluted Juventus fans after the final whistle and discussed it during a post-match press conference attended by Football Italia.
“It was a great emotion. Thanking the fans I spent 16 years with was the minimum I could do,” he said.
“That being said, I am happy to be at Napoli and greeted our fans, too. Coming here is always a great emotion; nobody can take this away from me.
“There will always be rivalry between the fans, but violence should never be. I spent many years in England, where I saw education and respect,” he continued.
Conte: Juventus ‘will never be enemies’
“I’m part of Juventus’ history, and nobody will ever take this away from me. I hope I’ll make Napoli’s history as well. Rivalry is one thing, but there must always be education and respect because, in this world, many people tend to forget what recognition is. So it’s not nice. Today, they saw me as an opponent. Me too, but they’ll never be enemies.”
Conte spent 16 years at Juventus, 13 as a player and three as a coach. He won several trophies at the club, including eight Serie A titles (three in the dugout) and one Champions League as a footballer in 1996.
Napoli’s next Serie A match is against Monza at the Stadio Maradona on September 29. The Partenopei have collected 10 points in the opening five Serie A games.