Losing against Italian Class C team 0-2

In Naples' debut, De Bruyne's performance did not meet the expectations of the outside world. Under the leadership of coach Conte, the defending Serie A champion unexpectedly lost 0-2 to Arezzo, the current team currently playing in Serie C.

Losed in his debut and performed mediocrely. After playing for Manchester City for ten years and winning numerous honors, De Bruyne officially joined Naples in the summer of 2025. The club even unexpectedly allowed the Belgian star to wear the legendary No. 10 jersey in recent training - this jersey once belonged to King Maradona.

However, this excitement and expectation were soon poured into cold water by reality. In a friendly match that warmed up for the new season, Napoli lost to Arezzo at home. De Bruyne started and appeared with two new players Noah Long and Lorenzo Luca. He had a few good matches with Alessandro Zanoli on the right on the court, but failed to complete an effective shot in two great opportunities. The website of Goal commented: "This Belgian star is still working hard to lead the team's rhythm and trying to adapt to the currently awkward overall coordination. There are still many areas that need to be adjusted and tested to return to the top level he once showed." The fans' reaction to polarization

De Bruyne's performance has also sparked widespread discussion on social media. The fans' reactions were mixed: "This is obviously not De Bruyne's ideal debut", "I can be sure that we played really hard without Scott McTominay", "This is not the beginning De Bruyne is looking forward to", "I hardly saw his presence throughout the game", "He just needs more time to adapt"... These are the main voices of the fans.

It is reported that De Bruyne signed a two-year contract with Naples, with the option of one-year renewal. He will receive a salary of about €5.5 million a year, plus a signing fee of up to €10 million.

As one of the top midfielders in world football, De Bruyne's joining has undoubtedly enhanced Naples' overall strength. But how to integrate into the team's tactical system as soon as possible and show value in key games will become the challenge he must face next.