With more drama than just the result, Napoli suffered its first league loss under Antonio Conte. Kevin De Bruyne, who scored a penalty to momentarily tie the game against AC Milan, was replaced in the 73rd minute and did not conceal his irritation.
The Belgian walked right to the bench, bypassing his coach, which set off controversy around a probable breakup.
Conte denied any hints of conflict, saying that his choice was entirely strategic. He urged that he required fresh legs to breach Milan’s tight defense and insisted he hoped De Bruyne’s resentment was about the result rather than the substitution alone.
Saying that modifications were done with the team’s greatest interest in mind, the coach made it very clear he won’t be distracted by sideline emotions.
Napoli’s leadership is not reading too much into the conversation despite the outburst. De Bruyne is still one of Conte’s most trusted players, club insiders said, but the team’s packed calendar and defensive issues are pushing the coach to rotate frequently.
Conte seems to be preoccupied with correcting Napoli’s defensive problems instead of dealing with player complaints.
With Amir Rrahmani sidelined until mid-October and Alessandro Buongiorno out for several weeks, Napoli’s backline is stretched thin. That gives Conte few alternatives and demands a lot of Juan Jesus and Sam Beukema as his sole appropriate center-backs.
For other defenders, suspensions and tiredness have just deepened the crisis, resulting in breaks Conte confessed have been expensive in recent games.
Conte praised his team’s quality against a strong Milan side even in defeat, noting Napoli’s chances and resiliency. He also pointed out that giving up too many goals had developed into a disturbing trend and promised to focus on rebuilding defensive stability—a hallmark of his teams.
Attention next turns to the Champions League, where Napoli will battle Sporting CP on October 1. Having a weakened defense, Conte is relying on his younger players to step up and keep the team in competition.
A strong showing in Europe could give Napoli the lift they need to stabilize their season and calm down the buzz around Conte’s choices.
