Napoli entered the match knowing Inter’s result; perhaps Inter’s 2-0 victory over Torino added more pressure on them. Napoli took the lead twice at the Diego Maradona Stadium—first with a goal from Romelu Lukaku and then Giacomo Raspadori, both assisted by Scott McTominay. However, Genoa equalized each time—first with a header from Onst Ahannor that deflected off Alex Meret and then with a header from Johan Vásquez.

Conte said after the match:“Genoa had two shots on target, and both resulted in goals. These things happen in football. When you concede, you could always defend better. This result is disappointing because we deserved to win, so there’s a bitter taste.”

Conte appeared frustrated in the interview and didn’t hide his disappointment with the late equalizer, referencing one of his substitutions:“How can I not be angry? A result like this, not winning, would anger me even at the start of the season, let alone losing points with three weeks left. So, of course, I’m angry. But this is football; it happens. We brought on Billing to improve aerial ability and control the situation, but the cross went over his head, and we conceded.”

“I can’t ask for more from my players. They had 22 shots, 11 on target, dominated possession, and still drew. We must improve in these situations.”

This draw kept Napoli at the top of Serie A, but their lead was reduced to just one point with two matches remaining.

Conte said:“We shouldn’t have dropped these two points, but we must remember we lost the advantage we had. Earlier, we needed seven points from three games to win the title; now, we need six from two. But if it happens, it will be something incredible.”

Conte took a risk by starting Stanislav Lobotka, who was injured with an ankle issue, but it backfired as the Slovakian midfielder had to leave the pitch after just 13 minutes.

It’s unclear whether he will recover in time for the remaining matches against Parma (home) and Cagliari (away).

Conte said:“We lost another player early, Lobotka, but throughout the season, we never said we were unlucky or made excuses. Now, we’ll try to find the best solution, and if other teams perform better, we’ll congratulate them.”

Conte, who previously won the Scudetto with Juventus and Inter, was asked what these last two matches mean to him:“These final two steps symbolize a goal that seemed unimaginable at first. If we achieve it, it will be amazing. These fans deserve it—because the people of Naples have always supported us with passion.”

“We’ve exceeded our limits, so we can only thank these players for everything. Today’s bitterness is because we deserved to win. But I always tell them that details make the difference, and today, in the details, we could have done better.”