Napoli was on the reception of a 2-0 defeat towards Manchester Metropolis throughout their first Champions League Marketing campaign sport on September 18.
Along with the thrill of the opening match of the competitors, it was a particular night when the legend of Man Metropolis, Kevin de Bruyne, returned to the opposite aspect of the canoes of Etihad after having moved to Napoli as a free agent this summer time.
Nevertheless, the night didn’t go properly for De Bruyne and his new membership as a Belgian star needed to be underlying after Napoli fell at 10 males on the sector within the twentieth minute of the match after the precise again, Giovanni Di Lorenzo acquired a direct pink card.
De Bruyne was changed by defender Mathias Olivera on the sector within the twenty first minute.
Whereas the hectic first half ended with a virgin draw, Erling Haaland opened the scoring for Man Metropolis from a decisive cross from Phil Foden within the 56th minute, adopted by Jeremy Doku doubling the advance of the native staff after being arrange by Tijjani Reijnders within the sixty fifth minute.
Napoli’s head coach Antonio Conte tackled the show of his staff and the early substitution of De Bruyne as a result of cargo, whereas being apologized for having “stolen” the 34-year-old star “of the satisfaction of taking part in towards his outdated membership.
📲 Comply with the brand new sports activities on WhatsApp
What was the boss of Napoli, Conte, mentioned in regards to the early substitution of Kevin de Bruyne towards Man Metropolis?
Whereas talking after the defeat towards Man Metropolis, Conte admitted that the sport was “disappointing”, explaining his determination to switch Bruyne because the “solely factor” he might do after the pink card.
“All of us acquired away with a bitter style in our mouths. It’s disappointing, we ready for the match as we performed within the first 20 minutes and the cargo modified it. I do not wish to say if it was proper or unhealthy, however for 20 minutes, I noticed an awesome perspective and I feel The mirror.
“It’s already troublesome to get out of right here unscathed, however if you’re at 10 males, it turns into inconceivable. Typically the satan takes a flip, there’s a merciless contact of destiny. Final yr, we didn’t ship, immediately within the Champions League We did it. It was the one factor I might do … “
“I felt sorry for the boy, that we stole the satisfaction of taking part in towards his outdated membership. However I additionally stole the prospect to depend on him. Within the first 20 minutes, I had the sensation that we had ready the match in the precise means, going for the precise objective. I’m sorry, these are video games the place a cargo of the runes and you can not do the precise factor.”
Napoli first stands on the Serie A desk and can give attention to sustaining her rank throughout her subsequent conflict of the League towards Pisa on September 22. Conte & Co. ought to return to the motion of the Champions League on October 1, the place they confronted a sports activities CP on the Diego Armando Maradona stadium.
