Conte says Scudetto race 'good pressure'
Antonio Conte says the Scudetto race is "a good pressure" for Napoli to have, as it looks to chase down leader Inter.
The Partenopei are six points adrift of Simone Inzaghi's side, which extended its advantage with a 3-1 victory over Cagliari.
Nevertheless, Napoli can reduce the deficit to three points once more by beating relegation-threatened Empoli at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Tuesday.
Inter is looking to complete a treble this season, with the Nerazzurri also in the hunt to win the Coppa Italia and Champions League.
As a result, Conte believes his side is already performing beyond its expectations, as the battle for Serie A glory intensifies.
"We are the direct antagonists of Inter, and will try to do something extraordinary to put that pressure on them," he said.
"It means we are doing remarkably well, in a situation where we are asked to go beyond our capabilities to keep up with a team that has proven it is built to win everything in Europe, too.
"It's a good pressure to have. There is enthusiasm among the fans, the dream of competing for the Scudetto is firing them up. We earned this pressure, this battle of nerves, and we must also enjoy fighting for something important.
"The fans can sense that the team is going beyond its limitations, and that can only be appreciated."
Standing in Napoli's way is 18th-place Empoli, without a Serie A win this calendar year.
Nevertheless, Conte insists his side cannot take its opponent for granted, especially at such a crucial stage in the season.
"There are dangers in every game, as from now to the end of the campaign, every team has an objective it needs to achieve, whether it's fighting for safety, a place in Europe or the Scudetto," he said.
"We've been fairly consistent this season. There were spells where we had a run of consecutive victories, but the fact is that we are up there, which means our journey has been a very good one.
"Empoli will come here with knives drawn, so it is a very difficult fixture, as every point can be the difference between safety and relegation at this stage.
"It is always tougher in the second half of the season, because there is more strategic thinking, the games are less open. We've all studied each other carefully at this point."
