Conte 'realistic' about Napoli's Scudetto ambition
Antonio Conte insisted his feet remain firmly planted on the ground despite Napoli's impressive start to the season which sees it at the top of the Serie A table.
Napoli has 29 points from its opening 13 league games, a point more than Atalanta, Inter Milan, Fiorentina and Lazio in a tightly-packed battle at the top of the standings.
Conte's side has impressed this season, particularly in defence, keeping eight clean sheets, with only Juventus producing more, with 10, in Europe's top five leagues.
The 55-year-old has won four Scudetto titles during his managerial career but was not getting carried away when asked about adding another to his collection.
"We have to be realistic and know that we're only on day 13 and there are six teams within a few points," Conte said ahead of his side's next meeting, a trip to Torino on Monday (AEDT).
"It's a balanced league so far, and, in my opinion, I don't think it will stay that way until the end.
"At the end of the first half of the season, it [the list of contenders] will start to get a little longer. But we're pleased, it shows the work we're doing is good, and I'm happy.
"Day after day we're laying important foundations and I see a continuous growth as a team but also as individuals."
Torino, which is 11th on the table, is without a win in its past four Serie A matches.
But Paolo Vanoli's side will have confidence of ending that winless streak after its performances against Napoli last season.
Torino went unbeaten in its two matches against Napoli last term, winning one and drawing the other, after a run of five defeats in a row, and could go at least three consecutive matches unbeaten against the Partenopei for the first time since a run of five between December 2007 and November 2012.
"It [Torino] is a solid group, it has good quality, it's in mid-table in a quiet way and without a win for a long time, so there are values," Conte said.
"I live in Turin, almost every Sunday I have the pleasure of going to see the game, and it's an environment that I know, nice and warm, strong, attached to history.
"We'll have to be very careful. It's a game to be approached in the right way, with respect for the quality of the opponent and the environment that we'll find and their history."
