Allegri downplays De Bruyne rift after Champions League clash

After the altercation in the Champions League, Massimiliano Allegri played down tensions with Kevin De Bruyne. The Napoli coach said the pair had disagreed over tactics during the match and dismissed the suggestion that he was unhappy with the player.

Napoli had just lost 3-1 away to Villarreal last Tuesday. It was the Italian side’s second defeat in the continental competition. The team’s problems went beyond the result: Allegri had asked De Bruyne to drop back so that McTominay, who had come on, could have more freedom in attack. De Bruyne did not follow the instruction, greatly irritating the coach on the touchline.

Asked at a press conference on Friday whether he and the Belgian were in crisis, Allegri rejected that interpretation: “Have I started being unhappy with some of De Bruyne’s behaviour? No, absolutely not. There was simply a misunderstanding on the pitch at a certain point in the match, and that was the end of it.”

The coach also spoke about communication difficulties between them. “There have been other misunderstandings and there will be more, but what matters is that we understand each other immediately. Either I speak English and he speaks Italian, or I started speaking English and he spoke Italian, which caused a little confusion. But he is an intelligent lad and he understood well,” he said.

The clarification comes as Napoli go through a difficult period. After six Serie A matchdays, the club sit eighth with 10 points, six behind leaders Inter. Napoli are due to face Venezia on Saturday in the seventh round.