Tension over KDB clouds Allegri's Napoli debut at San Carlo

Die tense atmosphere in Napels surrounded the official presentation of Massimiliano Allegri as Napoli's new head coach, with the spotlight shifting to a probing question about KDB that visibly irritated chairman Aurelio De Laurentiis.

Allegri was formally introduced to the Italian media at the prestigious San Carlo-theater, where the club staged a press conference to mark his arrival at Napoli.

After the departure of Antonio Conte, Napoli placed its confidence in Allegri, seeking a fresh elan after feeling exhausted by the very demanding methods of the previous manager.

During the briefing, reporters asked Allegri about Kevin De Bruyne, noting that he would become better known after the Red Devil's holiday, and raising the issue of whether KDB still has a future at Napoli.

Allegri answered diplomatically: "Let me first watch him closely in training. Only then can I form a judgment. He plays very good football, which works in his favour. No, for me De Bruyne is an exceptional player."

Chairman Aurelio De Laurentiis then interjected in his characteristic style, replying to the journalist: "He asks that question because De Bruyne complained about Conte last year. That fool asks the question only for that reason."

De Bruyne himself had earlier complained about Conte, stating: "We have played the whole season very defensively, in a 5-4-1. If you only score about one goal per match… we were also very low in the beginning."

Limburger, writing for the Limburger newspaper, said of Conte's exit at the end of the season: "For me he did not need to stay. This season I realised football must be fun. Unfortunately I missed that with him."

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Allegri now knows that any comment about a fellow countryman becomes a sensitive topic, a reality he will have to navigate throughout his tenure at Napoli.