Dispute with Allegri threatens De Bruyne's future at Napoli

Kevin De Bruyne's future with SSC Napoli is in question following a disagreement with coach Massimiliano Allegri during the 3-1 loss to Villarreal in the UEFA Champions League.

According to what was reported by "talkSPORT" citing the Italian newspaper "La Gazzetta dello Sport", tension arose between De Bruyne and Allegri during the match that took place on Tuesday night, after the Italian coach repeatedly called the Belgian player from the touchline due to differing views on his tactical role on the pitch.

Massimiliano Allegri wanted to deploy Kevin De Bruyne in a deeper midfield role to leverage his playmaking abilities and open up new attacking pathways, allowing Scott McTominay to advance closer to the goal. However, the 35-year-old player reportedly did not show a clear response to his coach's instructions, appearing to make hand signals, which angered Allegri.

Napoli's coach commented after the match: "We did not understand each other," in a statement that seemed to be an attempt to contain the situation and avoid escalating the dispute. The report indicated that Kevin may face the risk of sitting on the bench again, after starting five out of eight matches the team has played in various competitions this season.

SSC Napoli has suffered its second consecutive defeat in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League, dropping to 31st place and becoming threatened with elimination before reaching the knockout rounds.

The team is set to face Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt next Tuesday, aiming to regain their balance, while De Bruyne hopes to end his goal drought in the competition, as his last goals in it date back to April 2024.