Antonio Conte Plots to Exploit Kevin De Bruyne Intel for Crucial Man City Edge
Napoli head coach Antonio Conte has revealed he's been consulting with new acquisition Kevin De Bruyne in preparation for the Belgian's upcoming encounter against Manchester City this Thursday.
City chose not to extend De Bruyne's contract and permitted the 34-year-old to leave as a free agent, concluding a remarkable ten-year stint at the Etihad Stadium that saw him capture six Premier League championships.
De Bruyne, who has netted twice in his opening three appearances for Napoli, faced the possibility of confronting his previous club after publicly stating his intention to remain at elite level football this summer, with his move to Naples setting up an immediate return to Manchester as both teams meet in their Champions League group stage debut.
Very few players have gained such insight into Pep Guardiola's tactical approach as De Bruyne, whose 381 matches under the manager trails only Bernardo Silva's 411 appearances, and Conte acknowledged leveraging this knowledge in his match preparations for Thursday's fixture.
"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 explained.
"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."
Defender Giovanni Di Lorenzo encouraged City supporters to provide De Bruyne with the champion's reception he merits, while expressing confidence that the Belgian will block out distractions and maintain his excellent form.
"Since the first day he got to us he arrived with great humility, he's a great champion," Di Lorenzo said. "He didn't really talk about his ex-teammates but I'm sure he will be happy to play, to come back in this stadium where he has enjoyed many matches.
"I know that they will welcome him back and be pleased to see him. He deserves it and I hope he will have a great match."