Kevin De Bruyne absolutely bagged two goals for Napoli today in their 3-0 win over Frosinone, but get this, the dude isn’t entirely happy with the new deeper role he played! Talk about a mixed bag, right? This Belgium international has openly admitted he’s always seen himself as a Number 8 or a Number 10, not some deep-lying orchestrator.
Two Goals, But Still No Joy For KDB
Despite dropping a brace against Frosinone, KDB isn’t exactly doing cartwheels over his new position. The man scored by converting a penalty and then meeting a close-range pull-back from Giovane. Lang also chipped in with a tap-in, making it a solid 3-0 victory in their new 3-4-3 formation. This performance is a huge step for KDB, who has frankly struggled to replicate his Manchester City or even international form since he landed at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona over a year ago. A lot of that was down to injuries, but today, he was played in this deeper role, and it definitely paid off on the scoreboard.
But here’s the kicker: even after scoring two goals, De Bruyne is pragmatic, not emotional. He told Sky Sport Italia, “We played well in the first half, there are moments we could’ve done better, especially in the second half when we should’ve played better with the ball.” He recognized that Frosinone struggled when Napoli kept possession later in the game, adding, “I think we deserved the win, played well, created chances, and scored the goals.” Sounds like a professional taking care of business, but still hinting at a deeper dissatisfaction.
Napoli’s Midfield Mess Forces KDB Into Deeper Role
So, why the new role for a guy who’s always been a Number 8 or 10? Simple: Napoli is absolutely riddled with midfield injuries right now. De Bruyne explained they had a lot of injuries, specifically mentioning Lobotka and Gilmour who both played four games on international duty. With KDB himself missing the last game with Belgium, the coaching staff wanted to give other players some much-needed rest. This isn’t just a one-off thing either. Napoli is staring down the barrel of a brutal schedule, with nine games coming up in the next few weeks.
De Bruyne’s take on it? “It’s a busy schedule, it is what it is, I try to help, and that’s it.” That’s classic KDB, always putting the team first, even if it means playing out of position. He also noted that the team was “working well in the beginning of the season, we’re trying to look forward, and we’ll see what happens in the next few games.” It’s clear this deeper role isn’t his long-term preference, but he’s stepping up when the team needs him most. Noa Lang, by the way, was nearly Man of the Match until KDB’s second goal. Lang apparently wants a fresh start, which is another interesting wrinkle for Napoli’s attacking depth.
Napoli has a stacked schedule coming up, nine games in a few weeks. Can KDB keep delivering even when he’s not in his preferred spot? This team is working early in the season, trying to look forward, and we’ll be watching to see how this plays out for them in the coming weeks.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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