Napoli manager Antonio Conte has revealed that he has spoken to Kevin De Bruyne about playing Manchester City ahead of their Champions League clash on Thursday night.
City get their European campaign underway at the Etihad Stadium, but the main storyline of the night is the return of De Bruyne to Manchester.
After spending 10 years with Man City, Thursday night’s contest is the first time the midfielder has returned as an opposition player, and knowing so much about the Premier League giants, any insight the Belgian can provide his new team will be very useful.
Conte stated on Wednesday that he spoke to De Bruyne about Man City and has revealed what the 34-year-old has told him.
Kevin de Bruyne in action during ACF Fiorentina v SSC Napoli.
Photo by Image Photo Agency/Getty Images
Kevin De Bruyne has told Antonio Conte a few things about Man City
Since moving to Napoli this summer, De Bruyne has already noticed the difference between Conte and Pep Guardiola, with the Belgian stating that the Italian coach is more defensive than his former boss.
The former Chelsea boss will likely take a similar approach for the Serie A champions’ trip to Manchester, and the 56-year-old has revealed that De Bruyne has been helping him prepare for the City clash.
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“To be honest, it’s always been very careful preparation like it has been for every single match. We’re not doing anything particularly different,” Conte said via Manchester Evening News.
“I’ve spoken to Kevin, I’ve asked him a few things, he’s been a part of this club for 10 years and had a great coach like Pep Guardiola.
“Kevin will be excited to be playing, but I’m hoping that after the starting whistle, he will find his feet and remember that he’s playing for our great Napoli and contribute like he has been doing.”
The Man City legend knows everything about the Manchester club, and it will be interesting to see how he approaches the match, given his knowledge of all the defenders he will face on Thursday night.
How Kevin De Bruyne has been playing at Napoli
Following the completion of his move to Napoli, Phil Foden stated that the fans would love De Bruyne once he started showcasing his world-class talent every week, and that has proven to be the case so far.
The Belgian has contributed to the perfect start the Italian champions have made to their season, with the 34-year-old scoring in two of their three wins.
As Man City fans know, De Bruyne’s influence goes beyond that, as the midfielder has also created several big chances for his teammates, and has been very involved in the attacking side of Napoli’s game.
It will be interesting to see if the Man City legend can continue this against his old club, as the midfielder will be looking to prove a point after they allowed him to leave at the end of last season.