As Manchester City begins their Champions League campaign on Thursday, they welcome back a familiar face who may be plotting their downfall—Kevin de Bruyne.
Having won 16 trophies during his decade at City, the Belgian international is set to be immortalized with a statue outside the Etihad Stadium. However, de Bruyne’s departure in June, when his contract expired, wasn’t his choice, and now he’s focusing on making his mark with Napoli.
The 34-year-old’s arrival in Naples has drawn comparisons to Argentina legend Diego Maradona, who remains a revered figure among the Italian club’s supporters. Naples-based journalist Vincenzo Credendino shared his thoughts with BBC Sport, saying, “Since Maradona, Napoli have not signed a player as well-known as De Bruyne. Maradona came at the peak of his career, but De Bruyne comes at 34.”
He continued, “It is clear what Maradona was for club president Corrado Ferlaino in the 1980s, De Bruyne is the version of this year for [owner] Aurelio de Laurentiis.”
De Bruyne, who has expressed his desire to win Serie A and impress in the Champions League, will surely want to prove himself in this new chapter of his career.
Napoli’s captain, Giovanni di Lorenzo, praised de Bruyne’s arrival, saying he brought “great humility” and described him as a “great champion.” Di Lorenzo added, “He didn’t really talk about his ex-team-mates, but I’m sure he will be happy to return to this stadium where he enjoyed many good matches. He will be received well. They will be pleased to see him, and he deserves it.”
