Antonio Conte lauded Napoli's response to their recent injury crisis and their continued show of strength and desire after their 2-1 win over Torino in Serie A.

The reigning champions have stumbled slightly in recent weeks, but they have now won back-to-back matches, after goals from Alisson Santos and Eljif Elmas struck to help them past Torino.

Napoli remain third in Serie A and are now just one point behind second-place AC Milan, but more importantly, they have opened up a six-point lead over the chasing pack in the top-four race ahead of the rest of the weekend's games.

They have won back-to-back Serie A matches for only the second time in 2026, following successes against Fiorentina and Genoa in late January and early February.

It was also a big game for Napoli as Kevin De Bruyne, coming back from injury, and Romelu Lukaku, returning to full fitness, were on the pitch at the same time for the first time.

"Very, very satisfied," Conte told DAZN.

"The way they've returned, it seems like they never left, but they really have.

"We've been without him [De Bruyne] for many months, even without Lukaku, but the strength of this team has been in never looking for excuses for absence.

"We never lose our spirit, our desire, and our determination. In times of great emergency, there has always been a great response.

"That's how we won a Supercoppa Italiana and have always remained at the top of the table. It wasn't at all a given."

Alisson is only the fifth player to score in his first two Serie A home games for Napoli in the three-points-for-win era (since 1994-95), while his seventh-minute strike was the Partenopei's fifth-fastest league goal of the campaign.

Elmas, meanwhile, scored his first Serie A goal for Napoli in 832 days, last scoring in November 2023 away to Atalanta. It was his first such home goal since February 2023.

"Alisson is getting into the swing of things, but he can't be shy, just like he did," Conte added.

"Sometimes he has to try harder: I don't get angry if he makes a mistake, I get angry if he does the simple thing.

"And let's not forget Sant'Elmas, we need to build a statue of him. He understands football, he's versatile, he plays everywhere, he's making his eighteenth consecutive start."