Kevin De Bruyneâs emotional Etihad return lasted just 25 minutes as Napoli boss Antonio Conte sacrificed him following Giovanni Di Lorenzoâs red card in a 2-0 Champions League defeat to Manchester City. Conte admitted both he and De Bruyne were left âdisappointedâ after cutting short his appearance on a night City striker Erling Haaland made more history.
Antonio Conteâs Napoli have adapted seamlessly to Kevin De Bruyneâs arrival and Romelu Lukakuâs injury, with Fabio Capello praising the Italian tactician and his AC Milan counterpart Max Allegri. Napoli reshaped their attacking approach around the Belgian star, while Conteâs flexibility contrasts with Allegriâs composed style with Sundayâs Milan clash promises a tactical showdown and Serie A spectacle.
Kevin De Bruyne scored a second-half penalty to get Napoli back in the game against AC Milan before being subbed off by Antonio Conte in their first Serie A defeat. The Belgian looked frustrated as he walked off and went straight to the bench without acknowledging Conte. The coach said the decision was to bring fresh legs, adding he hoped De Bruyneâs displeasure was with the result, not him.
Liverpool weren't the only European team to lose their 100 percent record this weekend. Over in Italy, Napoli slipped to second in the Serie A table after being beaten 2-1 by a Christian Pulisici-inspired AC Milan at San Siro.
Antonio Conte has warned Kevin De Bruyne that he will not escape punishment if he has another angry reaction to being substituted after the Napoli playmaker was taken off in the weekend's 2-1 loss to AC Milan. The Italian coach insists the issue has been resolved as he insisted his sentiments were aimed at the entire squad.
Former Napoli chief Pierpaolo Marino has criticised Kevin De Bruyne, accusing the ex-Manchester City maestro of "stepping on Scott McTominay's toes" and hindering the Scot's impact. Marino also added that De Bruyne's current level at Napoli is nowhere near enough to warrant a comparison with the ageless Luka Modric, who has been off to a sensational start for AC Milan.
Napoli coach Antonio Conte admitted he is still trying to find the right tactical measures to bring the best out of midfielders Kevin De Bruyne and Scott McTominay. In the 2-1 win over Sporting CP, Conte tested a three man midfield in the second half following the substitution of McTominay, and he believes the system can offer him multiple solutions.
Kevin De Bruyne has confirmed that "there is no problem" between him and his Napoli head coach Antonio Conte. The former Manchester City midfielder expressed his anger after being taken off in the 72nd minute of Napoli's 2-1 loss to AC Milan over the weekend, prompting Conte to fire a warning and stating that "if he was upset about something else he's got the wrong person."
Napoli manager Antonio Conte has broken his silence on his decision to bench star midfielder Kevin De Bruyne in the 2-1 comeback win over Genoa, stating the two have a good understanding. The move, which came days after a visibly frustrated De Bruyne reaction against AC Milan, sparked rumours of a rift between the two, but both men have since put those whispers to rest.
Italian giants Juventus and AC Milan are reportedly interested in Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva, who is set to become a free agent in 2026. While neither club has entered formal negotiations, both have held exploratory talks with Silvaâs agent, Jorge Mendes. The Portuguese midfielder is also attracting lucrative offers from Saudi Arabian clubs, as well as interest from Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain.
Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and David Beckham all earned nods from Harry Kane in an exclusive quickfire question session with GOAL that saw the Bayern Munich striker name the best player he has played against and his boyhood idol. The England captain also picked out the best passer of a ball that he has ever seen and the young talent that he is most excited about watching develop.
Napoli head coach Antonio Conte believes the team should treat their Champions League experience as a "school" and fully "absorb" the lessons it offers. He wants the club to carefully assess their position in the tournament, viewing this season's European campaign as a new journey. Conte has also called for patience, emphasising that the season will largely depend on how quickly the new players settle and integrate into the team.
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