Napoli's second defeat in the Champions League continues to be discussed not only for the result, but also for the clash between coach Massimiliano Allegri and Kevin De Bruyne, which occurred on the pitch in the final part of the first half of the game, when the blue team was struggling to recover the score.
The cameras captured the Tuscan coach's displeasure at the Belgian midfielder's repeated refusal to follow tactical instructions. From the bench, Allegri tried several times to get De Bruyne's attention, calling his name loudly to ask him to step back into the position of playmaker. This would help both in building up the possession and to distract him from the opponents' tight marking. Moreover, the Napoli coach believed that this would give McTominay more freedom to make inroads into the opposition's area.
De Bruyne ignored the calls, as it is no secret that he does not particularly like the position of playmaker. There are even those who swear that they saw a gesture of irritation towards Allegri, who initially considered replacing him, activating Neres. The break between the halves must have sorted things out, as KDB then stayed on the field for the entire match.
Yesterday, the meeting at Castel Volturno took place with the entire squad, a sign that there are no grievances left. However, it is clear that in the match against Venezia, the former Manchester City player could start from the bench, both because of what he saw in Villarreal and to manage the physical load.
