November 5
What happened?
Kevin De Bruyne and his Napoli teammate Lorenzo Lucca exchanged sharp words during the Italian side’s heavy 4-1 defeat to Porto in the Champions League on Wednesday evening, with the Italian forward directing an insult at the Belgian veteran.
While Kevin De Bruyne is regarded as a Manchester City legend following a decade-long tenure, his stint at Napoli—which began in 2025—has been inconsistent. He started again on Wednesday during the fourth round of the Champions League against Porto, but the Belgian playmaker was virtually invisible; matters escalated further when he became embroiled in a verbal altercation with a teammate at the end of the match.
After a missed opportunity, the 35-year-old attacking midfielder expressed his frustration and annoyance by directing harsh words toward Lorenzo Lucca.
The Italian striker, however, was in no mood to back down, responding, "Why are you talking?" before repeatedly shouting, "Get out of my face!"—according to reports from several Italian media outlets.
Having entered the match as a substitute just minutes earlier—following Porto’s second goal, scored by Francisco Farioli—Lorenzo Lucca took issue with comments made by his Belgian teammate. While it initially appeared that the matter had ended there, footage circulating on social media, along with reports from the Italian press, indicates that other Napoli players intervened to break up the dispute and calm the situation.
Napoli is struggling early in its European campaign. Although their 4–3 victory over Bodø/Glimt had initially suggested a strong start to their Champions League run, this latest defeat in Porto marks a significant setback. After four rounds, Massimiliano Allegri’s side sits in a disappointing 27th place in the standings, with only 3 points—the result of one win and three defeats.
