De Bruyne is once again displeased with Coach Conte's puzzling decision.

29/09/2025 10:44:00 GoalGuru

Star player Kevin De Bruyne became the focal point during Napoli's 1-2 defeat to AC Milan in the 5th round of Serie A at San Siro early on September 29 (Vietnam time).

The high-stakes match between AC Milan and Napoli was full of drama. The home team Milan started strong, taking a 2-0 lead within 31 minutes thanks to goals from Alexis Saelemaekers and Christian Pulisic. Napoli fought back and got a chance to re-enter the contest after Giovanni Di Lorenzo was fouled in the penalty area, allowing De Bruyne to reduce the deficit to 1-2 at the 60th minute.

The penalty goal seemed like it would be a turning point for Napoli, but Coach Conte’s unexpected decision made the situation more tense. Just 10 minutes after scoring, De Bruyne was substituted off in the 72nd minute to make way for Eljil Elmas.

De Bruyne rút ngắn cách biệt cho Napoli từ chấm phạt đền (Ảnh: X). — De Bruyne scored the penalty to narrow the gap for Napoli (Photo: X).

According to television footage, De Bruyne left the field with an unhappy expression, walking quickly to the bench without shaking hands with Conte. This gesture quickly sparked controversy about the relationship between the Belgian star and Napoli’s head coach.

Previously, in the Champions League group stage match against Manchester City, De Bruyne had to leave early in the 26th minute after Napoli’s captain Di Lorenzo received a direct red card. After the game, Coach Conte apologized to the Belgian player for taking away the joy of facing his former club.

Tiền vệ người Bỉ rời sân với bước chạy nhanh và không bắt tay với HLV Conte mà đi thẳng về băng ghế dự bị (Ảnh: X). — The Belgian midfielder left the pitch at a fast pace and did not shake hands with Coach Conte, heading straight to the bench (Photo: X).

De Bruyne was a marquee signing for Napoli in the summer of 2025 after departing Manchester City. With his proven experience and quality, he was expected to become a key figure in driving Napoli back into the Serie A title race. Therefore, being substituted at a crucial moment when Napoli needed a goal left De Bruyne visibly disappointed.

From Coach Conte’s perspective, the substitution decision might have been tactical, considering AC Milan was down a defender after Pervis Estupiñán’s red card. However, removing De Bruyne, a creative player who was energized after scoring, was seen as a risky gamble. Ultimately, Napoli failed to equalize and accepted a 1-2 loss to Milan.