Kevin De Bruyne responded to controversy surrounding his substitution in a previous match with two assists in Napoli's recent 2-1 Champions League victory over Sporting Lisbon. The Napoli midfielder's performance helped secure the team's first win of their Champions League campaign.
De Bruyne's reaction to being substituted during Napoli's loss to AC Milan on Sunday had stirred some controversy. Napoli coach Antonio Conte addressed the situation, stating, “I hope he was irritated at the result. Because if he was irritated about something else, he's dealing with the wrong person".
In the match against Sporting Lisbon, De Bruyne played a crucial role in Napoli's victory. In the 36th minute, De Bruyne delivered a precise pass to Rasmus Hojlund, who scored from the edge of the box, giving Napoli a 1-0 lead. Sporting CP later equalized with a penalty from Luis Suarez after a foul by Matteo Politano. However, the De Bruyne-Hojlund connection struck again, with De Bruyne heading the ball to Hojlund who scored the winning goal.
Hojlund's brace secured Napoli's victory. This win marks the first of Napoli's Champions League campaign. De Bruyne's two assists in the game highlight his importance to the Napoli squad. It was only the second time a Napoli player has assisted a teammate twice in the same Champions League match.
Napoli's Champions League fixtures have been confirmed, with upcoming matches against PSV, Eintracht, Qarabag and Benfica. The team will also face FC Copenhagen in January 2026.
Kevin De Bruyne is a Belgian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Serie A club Napoli and the Belgium national team. He is widely regarded as one of the best players of his generation and has been described as a "complete" footballer. De Bruyne joined Napoli in 2025 and wears the number 11 jersey.
Napoli has a rich history in European football, with their latest entry being the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League. They won the UEFA Cup in 1988–89. The club has also won four league titles, six Coppa Italia titles, and two Supercoppa Italiana titles. They are the reigning champions of Italy, having secured their second Serie A title in three seasons in 2024–2025.
