Napoli, De Bruyne’s row with Guardiola over substitutions | OneFootball

Kevin De Bruyne and the substitutions: between Napoli and Manchester City, the Belgian has shown different but always intense reactions. The most recent case with Conte, and the previous one at City with Guardiola.

Napoli, De Bruyne and the contested substitutions: the time he clashed with Guardiola

From Napoli's defeat in Milan, a particular aftermath emerges related to Kevin De Bruyne. During a crucial phase of the match, with the Azzurri trailing by one goal but with a numerical advantage, Antonio Conte decided to substitute the Belgian midfielder.

At the time of the change, De Bruyne clearly expressed his disappointment, an attitude that did not go unnoticed. The coach commented at the end of the game: “I hope De Bruyne was upset about the substitution because of the result, because otherwise, he found the wrong person.”

Conte had already taken the Belgian off in the Champions League against Manchester City, in a match complicated by Di Lorenzo's expulsion. On that occasion, De Bruyne showed great professionalism, accepting the change without protest and being praised by the coach for his maturity.

The previous case at Manchester City: different reaction with Guardiola

The case is not new for De Bruyne. In the 2023-24 season, during the direct clash against Liverpool, Pep Guardiola substituted him in the 69th minute along with Alvarez to bring on Kovacic and Doku.

Even then, the Belgian clearly showed his displeasure, but the coach's reaction was completely different: “I’m happy about it! I like that he was upset, it means everything is fine. We couldn't manage the ball and after he came off, it got better. But we need Kevin and he is important.”

This different management highlights how De Bruyne's personality can be interpreted in different ways depending on the context and the coach, but also how central he is to the team's plans, both at City and now at Napoli.

Conte and the strategic role of De Bruyne

Antonio Conte has built a tactical setup specifically for De Bruyne, foregoing tried-and-tested formations like the 4-3-3, to best capitalize on his creative qualities. The Belgian is expected to start in tomorrow night's match against Sporting, demonstrating how crucial his contribution is to the Azzurri's seasonal objectives.

Despite the slight tension that arose during the substitution, it seems that the disagreement has already been overcome, without the need for a formal clarifying conversation.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.