Antonio Conte is continuing his established practice of stepping away from Napoli’s training sessions during international breaks, delegating responsibilities to his trusted assistant, Cristian Stellini. This tradition, which reportedly began in November 2025, allows Conte to decompress and offers his players a temporary respite from his well-known intense coaching style.
Conte has previously explained that this arrangement is commonplace in English football, citing his experiences at Chelsea and Tottenham. He emphasized that given the relentless four-month schedule, this agreement with the club provides a crucial period of relief for both himself and the squad members remaining at Castelvolturno.
During the current international window, with many key squad members away representing their nations, Conte has returned to his family home in Turin for a few days. Training for the players who remain is being expertly managed by his long-time assistant, Stellini.
A significant number of Napoli players are currently on international duty. Italy’s squad for the World Cup play-offs, commencing March 26 against Northern Ireland, includes Napoli’s Alex Meret, Alessandro Buongiorno, Leonardo Spinazzola, and Matteo Politano. Additionally, Rasmus Hojlund, Stanislav Lobotka, Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, Scott McTominay, Billy Gilmour, Vanja Milinkovic-Savic, and Mathias Olivera are also away representing their respective countries.
