Antonio Conte has highlighted the difference between Scott McTominay and Rasmus Hojlund under his remit at Napoli compared with their spells at Manchester United.
Both Scott McTominay and Rasmus Hojlund were in the starting XI for Napoli’s Italian Super Cup encounter with Serie A outfit Bologna on Monday.
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Hojlund and McTominay played the full 90 minutes for Antonio Conte’s men, with defending Serie A champions Napoli beating Bologna 2-0 on the night.
Former Ajax ace David Neres was the difference-maker between the two sides after the 28-year-old Brazilian winger netted a brace at the King Saud University Stadium.
The Italian Super Cup was held in Saudi Arabia and Napoli and Bologna reached the final after beating AC Milan and Inter Milan respectively in the semi-finals.
Napoli manager Antonio Conte speaks out on Scott McTominay and Rasmus Hojlund not playing for Man Utd
Rasmus Hojlund was reunited with former Manchester United teammate Scott McTominay for the 2025-26 Serie A campaign after Napoli signed him on loan.
The 22-year-old Danish forward completed a deadline-day switch to the Naples-based club back in September after United landed striker Benjamin Sesko.
Hojlund had fallen down the pecking order at Old Trafford under Red Devils boss Ruben Amorim and had struggled to make an impact during his time at United.
Speaking after Napoli’s 2-0 win over Bologna, Antonio Conte insisted that there must have been a “reason” for why Hojlund and McTominay were not playing for United.
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“If we look at how many chances we created, we could have been far more effective,” he said at his post-match press conference, as per the Manchester Evening News.
“We played a great match in every aspect.
“The first goal was a moment of brilliance from a champion; the other situations were carefully designed to put the opponents under pressure with many players around the box.
“Hojlund and McTominay were not playing at Manchester United, so there must be a reason, given the work done by me and my staff.
“I believe our job is to expand a player’s knowledge and make him stronger.”
Antonio Conte compares Napoli midfielder Scott McTominay and Man Utd striker Rasmus Hojlund to other players he has managed
United included a permanent requirement for Napoli to sign Hojlund in 2026 for £38m if certain requirements are met during the on-loan striker’s spell at the club.
McTominay, on the other hand, has been with Napoli since 2024 after the Red Devils sold the 29-year-old Scottish midfielder for a £25.7m transfer fee.
The United youth academy product saw his spell at Old Trafford come to an end during Erik ten Hag’s reign after United signed midfielder Manuel Ugarte.
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Conte claimed that the likes of McTominay and Hojlund have been undergoing a change under his tutelage in the same way as other players he has managed.
“I invest a lot in that, and I think every player I have worked with has always come out improved technically, tactically and mentally,” he added.
“We lacked clinical finishing against a strong team, but it remains a great performance, and I can only be happy and proud.”
Hojlund has made 19 appearances for Napoli this season and the Denmark international has netted seven times and registered three assists for his side.
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