Montervino Criticizes Conte’s Pisa - Napoli Lineup Choices

Francesco Montervino hit Antonio Conte’s Pisa - Napoli selection before the match, saying the lineup was inconceivable to him and that he hoped the game would be different from Bologna. The former Napoli midfielder and captain still backed Conte, but his comments put immediate pressure on the coach’s choices.

Montervino on Canale 8

Speaking on Canale 8, Montervino gave a blunt verdict on the team selection. “Sembra retorica la mia, per me la formazione è inconcepibile ma sicuramente avrà ragione lui. Spero che oggi la partita sarà diversa rispetto al Bologna ma la formazione non mi fa essere felice ma ci fidiamo tutti di Conte,” he said about Antonio Conte’s lineup choices for Pisa-Napoli.

That is a sharper line than a routine pre-match opinion. Montervino is not just any voice around Napoli; he is a former midfielder and captain, so his criticism lands with more weight than a casual take from the outside.

Conte and Pisa - Napoli

The match itself is the only stage for this dispute, and Montervino tied his remarks directly to the Pisa meeting rather than to a wider debate about the squad. He singled out the formation, then immediately pointed to the Bologna match as the comparison he wanted to avoid repeating.

That makes the lineup the central talking point before kickoff. Montervino did not break with Conte completely, but he drew a clear line between trust and approval, saying he trusted the coach while still calling the setup inconceivable.

For Napoli, the practical result is public scrutiny before the first whistle. Conte’s selection is already being judged by a former club captain, and Montervino’s hope for a different performance from Bologna is now part of the conversation around Pisa - Napoli.