Sun Dec 08 20:27:59 UTC 2024: ## Napoli’s Conte Defends Rotation After Coppa Italia Loss to Lazio
**Turin, Italy** – Napoli manager Antonio Conte is defending his decision to rotate his squad for their 3-1 Coppa Italia defeat to Lazio, a loss that eliminated the Serie A leaders from the competition. Conte rested key players following a narrow Serie A win against Torino, a move that backfired spectacularly as Lazio’s Tijjani Noslin scored a hat-trick.
While acknowledging the setback, Conte maintained that the match provided a valuable opportunity to assess his squad and manage player fitness. He emphasized the importance of rotating players to avoid injuries over the long season. Despite the loss, Napoli remains atop the Serie A table with 32 points from 14 matches, holding a four-point advantage over Lazio, their next opponent in a crucial Serie A clash this Sunday.
Conte expressed respect for Lazio’s strength and acknowledged the upcoming league match will be a different challenge, played at home and with a different level of intensity. He remains confident in Napoli’s ability to overcome this recent defeat and continue their Serie A dominance.
First Piper 