Sosa reveals why De Bruyne remains at odds with Conte in Naples

Roberto Carlos Sosa, former Napoli striker, told Radio Marte, in the programme "Los Ultimos Diez", the reasons why the relationship between Kevin De Bruyne and Antonio Conte never took off. The interview, broadcast recently, provides unpublished details about their conflict, still felt by the Belgian.

Personal meeting and first impressions

Sosa met De Bruyne during the Cent’Anni celebration, an occasion on which he took a photo with his son. The player spoke partly in Italian and in Spanish, showing courtesy towards the former teammate.

During the chat, Sosa praised the midfielder's performances in the season with Conte, despite a serious injury. De Bruyne replied: "I like playing football, I like calcio…".

The reasons for the tactical rift

According to Sosa, the tension does not concern the city of Naples, but the style of play imposed by Conte. The coach would have compared De Bruyne to the right‑back, a position that the Belgian does not wish to occupy.

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De Bruyne, according to the former Azzurri, came to Naples to be a protagonist, but found a “character” in Conte who did not showcase his qualities.

The memory of Manchester and the disappointment

Sosa recalled the Manchester episode, where Conte substituted De Bruyne after twenty minutes, leaving Napoli with ten men. The Belgian is still processing that disappointment.

The former striker defended De Bruyne, describing him as a special player, and emphasized that the problem is not the city but Conte’s technical management.