eindhoven – Antonioโ Conte โsuffered the most significant defeatโค of his managerial career as Napoli were soundly beaten 6-2 byโฃ PSV Eindhoven in a Championsโข League group stage match on Wednesday, Octoberโ 22, 2025. The loss marks Napoli’s second defeat โin this โขseason’s competition and represents the club’s largest margin of defeat in European play.
Napoli conceded six goals at Philips Stadium despite two strikes from Scott McTominay. Vanja Milinkovic-Savic’s goalโ was breached sixโข times by the hosts, leaving Napoli with three points and โin 22nd place in the group phase standings after also falling 2-0 to Manchester City on matchday one.
Opta data confirms this defeat as Napoli’s heaviest inโข European competition, surpassing a 3-6 Serieโ A loss to Sampdoriaโค in 1997.
“This is the level ofโ the Champions โฃLeague. We cannot complain. There is still a lot of work to beโข done, but we certainly know this season will โคrequire โคanโ uphill battle, so we have to be ready to put inโฃ that effort,” Conte stated to Skyโ Sport Italia followingโข the โmatch. “I look at these players every day, and when I try to calm myself down, I โขdon’t look for excuses. It’s because โI can see things that indicate โthat this season will be elaborate.”
Conte, who guided Napoli โฃto the Serieโข A title last season, emphasizedโ the need for resilience. “We must not give up,we must all tryโค to recreate the fighting spirit we โhad last season,even knowing thatโฃ there are nine new faces in the team. It takes time to create that connection.”
Historically, Conte’s Champions League record has been modest. His best result as a manager was reaching the quarter-finals with Juventus in the 2012-13 season, where they โwere eliminated by Bayern Munich. He reached the round of 16 with Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, and was eliminatedโข in the groupโ stage while โฃmanaging โขInter Milan.
Across 45 Champions League matches, Conte has a record of 16 wins, 14 draws, and 15 defeats.
(adp/rin)
