Former Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne experienced a challenging debut for Napoli as the reigning Serie A champions suffered a 0–2 defeat to Serie C club Arezzo in a pre-season friendly. The match, held in Dimaro as part of Napoli’s 2025/26 preparations, marked De Bruyne’s first appearance since his high-profile transfer earlier this summer.
After a decade of unprecedented success at Manchester City, including multiple Premier League titles and a UEFA Champions League crown, De Bruyne joined Napoli on a two-year contract, with an option to extend for a third. The Belgian international was notably seen wearing Napoli’s iconic No. 10 jersey during training—once made legendary by Diego Maradona a move that generated significant attention.
De Bruyne started the match alongside fellow newcomers Noa Lang and Lorenzo Lucca, showing moments of chemistry with Alessandro Zanoli but ultimately failing to convert two clear opportunities. He was substituted at halftime.
The response to De Bruyne’s performance has been mixed. Goal.com acknowledged his leadership on the field but noted a lack of fluidity in Napoli’s play, stating, “There is still much to test before De Bruyne can return to the level he is known for.”
On social media, fan reactions ranged from critical to sympathetic. Comments such as “Not the debut De Bruyne would have hoped for” and “Where was De Bruyne?” contrasted with more supportive takes like “He just needs time to adapt.”
Despite the loss, Arezzo’s coach Cristian Bucchi praised De Bruyne’s on-pitch presence and vision, calling Napoli’s signing of the midfielder a “brilliant move” and expressing confidence that he would play a pivotal role under Antonio Conte’s management.
Conte opted to rest several key players including Scott McTominay and Matteo Politano, focusing on squad rotation and early tactical experiments. The loss, while unexpected, is viewed internally as part of a broader preseason strategy.
De Bruyne’s annual salary is reported to be €5.5 million, with an additional €10 million in signing bonuses. With expectations high, both club and supporters will be eager to see the midfielder integrate more seamlessly as the team continues its preseason fixtures.
Napoli will next play on July 26, with their Serie A campaign set to begin on August 23.
znews
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