'It was a blockbuster!' - Napoli president aims dig at Juventus boss Luciano Spalletti with claim Antonio Conte's Serie A title win was 'the real' success

Napoli president De Laurentiis is never one to shy away from controversy, and his latest comments at the Gazzetta dello Sport Awards have firmly placed the spotlight on the simmering tension between his club and Juventus. With former Napoli hero Spalletti now in the dugout for the Bianconeri, De Laurentiis took the opportunity to draw a sharp comparison between the two managers' achievements in Naples.

While Spalletti is revered in the city for ending the 33-year wait for a league title in 2023 - their first since 1990, De Laurentiis appeared to downplay the emotional weight of that campaign compared to the club's more recent success under Conte. Napoli have now won two Scudetti in the last three seasons, but for the film mogul president, they are not created equal.

Reflecting on the difference between the two triumphs, De Laurentiis suggested that Spalletti's dominance in the 2022-23 season—where Napoli wrapped up the league with weeks to spare—lacked the cinematic drama of Conte's recent victory. Last season saw Napoli engaged in a brutal, season-long dogfight with Inter, which was only decided in the dying embers of the campaign.

"The first one arrived a bit for granted, given the path taken from the start," De Laurentiis told the audience, referring to Spalletti's title. "The second, however, is the real Scudetto because we sweated for it until the end.

"The first one was a bit predictable, given the progress we had made since the beginning," he said. "The second, on the other hand, is the real Scudetto because we fought for it until the very end. It was like a thriller, beautiful and painful. The suspense set the stage for us to enjoy it even more after the decisive victory against Cagliari. The result was a blockbuster film. And we will make another one, about Napoli's 100th anniversary in 2026."

Spalletti departed the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona immediately after securing that historic 2023 title, initially citing a need for a sabbatical. He subsequently took charge of the Italian national team before making a controversial return to club management with Napoli's fierce northern rivals, Juventus, for the current campaign.

Looking for smarter football bets? Get expert previews, data-driven predictions & winning insights with GOAL Tips on Telegram. Join our growing community now!

While his words for Spalletti were tinged with shade, his praise for Antonio Conte was effusive. The current Napoli boss, who restored the club to the summit of Italian football after the difficult post-Spalletti transition, shares a close personal bond with the president. De Laurentiis revealed that their relationship stretches back years, long before Conte took the reins at the Maradona.

"We always talk, we are two friends," De Laurentiis explained. "I met Antonio in the Maldives many years ago, we swam together and talked a lot. I still didn't chew football perfectly back then and so I listened to him with interest and passion."

What struck De Laurentiis most was Conte's relentless mentality—a trait that was crucial in edging out Inter in last season's title race.

"I liked hearing a man who had already won so much and was not demotivated by success," he added. "He never lost his hunger and this impressed me immediately."

The comparison highlights the differing natures of Napoli's modern success. Spalletti's side was celebrated for its aesthetic beauty, blowing teams away with a brand of free-flowing football that captivated Europe and saw them finish 16 points clear of second-placed Lazio. The title was mathematically secured with five games to spare, turning the final month of the season into a city-wide party.

In contrast, Conte's Napoli - grittier, more pragmatic, and built in the image of their manager - had to fight for every point. The reference to the "decisive victory against Cagliari" points to the climax of a nerve-wracking run-in where Napoli held their nerve against a relentless Inter chasing pack. For a showman like De Laurentiis, the "thriller" narrative of a last-gasp victory clearly holds more value than the serene dominance of 2023.

The comments add extra spice to the next headline showdown between Napoli and Juventus in late-January. With Spalletti coaching the men in black and white of Turin and Conte looking to defend his hard-fought crown, the battle lines have been drawn. De Laurentiis has set the stage for a sequel to his "blockbuster," but Spalletti will be determined to prove that his own managerial script still has a few twists remaining.