Before starting the new season with Napoli, Kevin De Bruyne has had a ticking off by one of the club’s main men.
De Brunye joined the defending champions last summer and despite decent patches of form, their title chances dwindled into an easy Inter Milan win.
Napoli still took second and the Supercoppa, but Antonio Conte has since left the club, and De Bruyne is grateful.
The Belgian admitted he didn’t enjoy playing under the attritional coach, but things certainly won’t be much different under new hire Max Allegri.
De Bruyne called out over his Conte comments
As such, the man in control of the comings and goings, Giovanni Manna, has delivered a warning about any more negative statements.
The sporting director said: “Obviously, we are suffering the consequences of last season: I didn’t appreciate some of his statements.”
Manna was then asked if De Bruyne could leave the club ahead of the second year of his contract.
“It’s not a problem,” he said. “Kevin doesn’t have to decide whether he stays or leaves.
“He is part of the project and will make himself available to the coach like everyone else.
“De Bruyne has no decision to make. He joined this project last season and signed for two years, with an option to extend.
“He was injured last year, but when he was fit, he was invaluable to the team.
“I don’t see the point in constantly asking him, ‘What do you decide? ‘ When players sign, they sign. Then it’s up to the club to decide.”
What De Bruyne said about Conte
De Bruyne only played 21 games in his debut campaign and was out from October to March with an injury.
While back in Belgium, he made some comments about Conte that didn’t go down well.
“We played very defensively,” he said.
“When you only score one goal per game in a 5-4-1 formation… it’s a bit disappointing.”
Asked if he was glad Conte has left, he added: “Yes.
“I’ve noticed this year that the way we play is important to me. It also has to remain enjoyable, and unfortunately, that’s something I missed a bit.
“Last year, too, promises were made. ‘We’re going to play a certain way, we’re going to do this and that ,’ but very little materialised.”
De Bruyne’s comments were then called out by Conte’s long-time assistant Cristian Stellini.
He said: “Perhaps it makes little sense for players to arrive in Naples who are 33-years-old with an important past and who think about aesthetics rather than the result of a season.
“If players with this experience need to arrive, let them at least serve as an example to young people of enthusiasm and the joy of living in a place like Napoli.
“He didn’t instil either joy or enthusiasm in me. I hope he can have experiences more similar to what he wants in the future, perhaps already in the national team with Garcia.”
Stellini then cited Luka Modric as an example for De Bruyne.
He continued: “I was very impressed last season by how he settled into AC Milan.
“Leading his teammates with leadership and enthusiasm despite playing in a team that played very pragmatic football, achieving excellent results and never passing judgement on the management and the coach.
“Being a professional also means being able to understand what you need to do to make the environment you work in the best possible by leading by example.”
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