Italian media disagree with Antonio Conte over Scott McTominay – ‘He’s forgiven’
Former Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay was decisive for Napoli in their Serie A encounter with Cagliari on Friday evening
Scott McTominay scored for Napoli on Friday evening
Scott McTominay’s second-minute goal against Cagliari proved key for Napoli as the Serie A defending champions moved into second on Friday night. The former Manchester United midfielder was once again the hero as his early strike sealed all three points for Antonio Conte’s side.
The Scot, who signed for the Serie A side from United in August 2024, reacted quickly to convert after the ball had bounced off the post, following a corner. While Napoli were made to earn their victory, and struggled to add to their tally, they did keep their first clean sheet since January 4.
Decimated by injuries, Conte was able to pair McTominay with ex-Man City star Kevin De Bruyne, who helped spearhead Gli Azzurri to the victory. However, the former Chelsea boss wasn’t thrilled with McTominay, or his team in general. He said: “[Frank] Anguissa and McTominay aren’t ‘brilliant’ again yet, Kevin [De Bruyne] I thought was doing well. [Stanislav] Lobotka struggled a little bit more.”
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Here, the MEN takes a closer look at how McTominay’s performance was received by the press, with sections disagreeing with Conte’s take on the game.
Il Napolista
Il Napolista gave the Scot a seven out of 10, focusing on how his goal and overall contribution outweighed any negatives in his performance. They said: “He takes the game and the three points, as he did so many times last season. And this time he does it right away, before he’s even started. For this reason, he’s forgiven for all the balls he subsequently lost.”
They also praised the 29-year-old’s leadership capabilities, pinning the win on his experience. They added: “The start, however, was Napoli-like. Ready, go, goal after seventy seconds.
“The Scotsman is the true leader of this team. He moves with a magical aura. With a princely air. He started high up, close to De Bruyne. Then, in the second half, Conte moved him back. And he changed the score without batting an eyelid.”
Eurosport Italy
Eurosport handed McTominay a 7.5 out of ten. They wrote: “Here’s the Scot, back in fine form: his early-game goal certainly wasn’t as beautiful or crucial as the overhead kick that gave Napoli the Scudetto about a year ago. However, it was a significant goal against a tough team. Antonio Conte is delighted with this player’s return.”
Corriere dello Sport
The Italian outlet lauded McTominay for taking the lead early on. They said: “McTominay right away. Napoli took the lead after just over a minute: a Politano corner sparked a scramble in the box, with Beukema laying it off, Buongiorno—despite missing his shot—hitting the post, and McTominay coming in to tap in.
“Conte’s team had another chance in the 6th minute, with a Politano free kick punched away by Caprile, and again with McTominay, whose header was deflected just over the crossbar by Mina. A sloppy victory, more down to nerves than play, but crucial for staying in the Champions League race.”
Sport Napoli
Sport Napoli praised the ex-United midfielder for his quick thinking in bagging the early goal, yet were critical of Napoli’s overall approach. They wrote: McTominay was decisive at the start of the race. An early goal from Scott McTominay was enough to defeat the Rossoblu 1-0 and secure three crucial points in the race for the top spot in the table.
“It was a start that seemed to be shaping the game, but in reality, it belied the difficulties that would emerge as the minutes passed. Napoli built the game, controlled the ball, and came close to doubling their lead several times, but suffered a certain inaccuracy in their final passes and in front of goal.”
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