Antonio Conte has hailed Scott McTominay as a “complete player” and believes Rasmus Hojlund has “improved a lot” in six months at Napoli but can still get better.Former Manchester United midfielder McTominay enjoyed an extraordinarily successful debut campaign in Naples last year, winning the Scudetto and claiming the Serie A MVP award after scoring 12 goals for his new side. That form earned him a Ballon d’Or nomination and McTominay’s excellent form has continued this term, with his spectacular bicycle kick against Denmark helping send Scotland to their first World Cup since 1998 and nine goals already to his name for Napoli.
That tally makes him the club’s joint-top scorer in all competitions alongside striker Hojlund, who joined on deadline day last summer after a difficult season with United but has been backed by Conte to continue his encouraging start.
“In this year and a half, (McTominay) became a complete player,” Conte said, ahead of the club’s UEFA Champions League match against Chelsea, live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
“When I was in England and faced him as an opponent, I always saw his quality, but always one part of his quality – especially to attack the box and score.
Highlights: McTominay delivers as Napoli held by 10-man Copenhagen
Video credit: TNT Sports
“Instead, we worked with him on the build-up and construction, and I tried (with) difficulty also to transform him into a complete player.
“He now plays with (Stanislav) Lobotka as two midfielders, and he has improved a lot in the build-up. At the same time, he has never lost the possibility to attack, to be a box-to-box player.
“Now he is, in my opinion, a really, really top player for an important club. He has improved a lot – it’s the same for Rasmus Hojlund.
“In six months, we have worked a lot with him. He is only 22 years old; Scott is 29, so he is more mature as a player.
“Rasmus is a player who has a lot of space for improvement, he’s only 22, but we are talking about two important players.
“We’re lucky to have them in our team because they are helping a lot, Scott last season and this season Scott with Rasmus.”
Napoli have suffered a dip in form in January and head into Wednesday’s crucial Champions League clash with Chelsea risking early elimination.
Conte’s injury-hit side have won just one of their last six games and suffered a 3-0 drubbing away to Juventus on Sunday, but they require a result to progress as they currently sit outside the play-off spots in 25th place.
Highlights: Caicedo spares Chelsea blushes with late winner
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For Conte, it will be a special match on a personal level as he takes on the side he led to the Premier League title in 2016/17.
“It is always a special game, because I have great memories from two years at Chelsea,” Conte said.
“It was amazing for me because in the first season we won the league after 10th place the season before, then we reached the final of the FA Cup, but we lost against Arsenal.
“The next season we won the FA Cup, a great memory. We are talking about a great club, fantastic support. I remember the chant for me: (sings) ‘Antonio, Antonio’. The stadium is special. Great memories.
“Now they are growing and growing, and for sure it’s one of the best clubs not only in England, but in the world. They won the Club World Cup this summer and they have a group of players who are really good – young, but at the same time strong players. I see a strong future for them, they are working really well.”
McTominay: Chelsea match ‘do or die’
McTominay told TNT Sports that the clash with Chelsea is “do or die” after a stop-start league phase campaign in which Napoli have picked up just two wins: against Sporting CP and Qarabag.
“We’ve let a few slip. We should have beaten Frankfurt at home (a 0-0 draw), should have beaten Copenhagen away (a 1-1 draw),” he said.
“We had a red card in the first few minutes against Man City (a 2-0 loss), so that changed the game dramatically there. For us, it’s been a little bit of a roller coaster, and we’re not quite sure where we’re at in this competition.
“To cement that and get our feet on the ground, to go through and beat Chelsea would be something where we could look at the next round with great pride and say we can attack this competition from here.”
McTominay on pressure facing Napoli ahead of Chelsea clash – ‘It’s do or die’
Video credit: TNT Sports
He added: “That is fundamentally the first thing we all say as a group, we have to make sure we qualify in the Champions League. For us, it’s do or die tomorrow. We have to make sure we give our best.”
McTominay has become a fan favourite in his 18 months in Naples and was asked about the murals and even a shrine bearing his face in the southern Italian city.
“Walking around the city centre is incredible. I don’t get enough chances to do it, because we have so many games, but when I first arrived, the first three or four months I was staying in a hotel and I would put a hat on and go and walk around, I loved it,” McTominay said.
“I wish I could do that more, but it is hard because people recognise you and the other players. They recognise everybody, even the kit men and the barista Tommy, who is so famous here. They know everybody. It’s incredible.”
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