Kevin De Bruyne’s Napoli given brutal reality check by minnows who asked for photos with Man City legend at full time
KEVIN DE BRUYNE’S shock move to Italy came crashing back down to earth after Napoli were beaten 2-0 by a THIRD TIER side.
And to make matters even more embarrassing, the opponents asked the Premier League legend to pose for PICTURES at full-time.
De Bruyne, who recently joined as a free agent from Manchester City, was handed his first start by manager Antonio Conte.
Minnow side Arezzo struck twice, once late in each half, to secure a remarkable pre-season win over the champions of Italy.
The opener came through Emiliano Pattarello‘s covered penalty just before halftime, catching Napoli off guard after an otherwise comfortable 45 minutes.
Then, deep into stoppage time, Muhamed Varela doubled Arezzo’s lead to seal a famous victory at Napoli’s own training camp venue.
But despite the result, classy De Bruyne took time to stand for photos after being asked by a string of Arezzo players on Tuesday evening.
The Belgian great, 34, was spotted standing in the middle of the pitch, with his boots off and looking red faced while smiling into the camera.
De Bruyne was subbed off at half-time for defensive midfielder Stanislav Lobotka, while former Prem star Romelu Lukaku got a full second half.
De Bruyne will wear the No.11 shirt in the coming season but, as a welcome gesture from the club, he has been training wearing Diego Maradona’s retired No10 on his shorts.
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS
Notably absent from Conte’s squad were Serie A Player of the Season Scott McTominay and Matteo Politano.
Both players were ruled out due to muscle fatigue.
The pair have reportedly been managing minor strains caused by the intense physical demands of Conte’s pre-season sessions.
Arezzo’s goalkeeper, Luca Trombini, was the standout performer, denying Napoli repeatedly with a string of big saves.
Napoli’s pre-season continues with another friendly scheduled against Serie B outfit Catanzaro on July 26.
Their title defence begins with a trip to Sassuolo on August 23.