Kevin De Bruyne was at the center of a heated exchange in the Napoli dressing room, reportedly being told to "f*** off" three times by teammate Lorenzo Lucca during their 4-1 defeat against Porto. The incident highlights an escalating crisis within the squad, which has become increasingly fractured in recent weeks, according to Italian media.
Napoli, now managed by Massimiliano Allegri, sits eighth in Serie A, a stark contrast to their title win just two seasons prior under Antonio Conte. Their struggles extend to the Champions League, where they are near the bottom of the group standings after losing three of their first four matches.
Following the loss to Porto, midfielder Matteo Politano spoke to Sky Sport Italia, suggesting a need for more players to address the team's performance. "It would be nice if a few other teammates came here to give an explanation and not just us Italians, but never mind, I never hide my face," Politano stated.
La Gazzetta dello Sport reported that Politano's comments were implicitly aimed at foreign players like Frank Anguissa and Amir Rrahmani, who were integral to the club's title victories. Politano emphasized the team's current attitude, stating, "The attitude is one that a team like ours cannot have at this level."
A divide is reportedly emerging between the Italian contingent and foreign players, largely driven by frustration over results. Players such as De Bruyne, Rasmus Hojlund, and Stanislav Lobotka are described as more reserved personalities who have not fully integrated with their teammates off the field.
Scott McTominay acknowledged the team's anger after the Porto defeat. "Of course I’m angry. We lost 4-1 in the Champions League; there’s nothing to smile about," McTominay said. He also pointed to the significant impact of a nine-player injury list on team consistency. "We’ve got a lot of injuries, and that makes a big difference whenever you come into play every three days."
These dressing room issues are not entirely new for Napoli. Last season, Antonio Conte publicly noted a lack of unity after the club signed nine new players following their Scudetto win, despite still finishing second. He remarked at the time, "Nine new players were too many. We weren't balanced."