Allegri: De Bruyne Could Thrive in Deeper Midfield Role for Napoli
Kevin De Bruyne struck twice as Napoli beat Frosinone 3-0, and Massimiliano Allegri believes the Belgian’s long-term future could eventually lie in a deeper midfield role.
De Bruyne completed the scoring with the final action of the match, arriving to finish Giovane’s cut-back and secure his second goal of the evening. Allegri praised the midfielder’s technical level while suggesting that operating as a regista could help him prolong his career in Serie A.
The Napoli coach said De Bruyne remains attracted to the attacking areas where he can create and score, but argued that his quality on the ball would also suit a more withdrawn position. He pointed to the player’s influence for Belgium, where he continues to win matches, score goals and draw strong reviews.
Fitness work remains a priority
Allegri stressed that De Bruyne is not yet at his physical peak after a lengthy lay-off. David Neres and Frank Anguissa are in a similar position, with the club working to improve the condition of players returning from extended absences.
He said Napoli must respond intelligently when their intensity drops during matches. That means defending more compactly around their own penalty area and making their attacking moments count when energy levels are lower.
The coach was pleased with the aggression shown from the opening minutes against Frosinone, but felt his side should have turned their superiority into goals sooner. Napoli missed the target from six or seven promising opportunities before the interval, and Allegri warned that failing to finish attacks can allow opponents back into a contest.
His team became more conservative after the break following an energetic first half, although they still created another three or four scoring chances. Allegri said the final decision in those situations must improve, particularly with the season entering a more demanding stage.
Badiashile backed after Inter scrutiny
Allegri also defended Benoit Badiashile after criticism aimed at the defender following the previous match against Inter at San Siro.
He insisted that Badiashile should not be defined by one costly moment, adding that errors are part of football and can come from decisions made on the touchline as well as those made by players. Allegri suggested he may have handled the Inter situation differently himself, rather than changing the defensive setup.
The French centre-back remains firmly in Allegri’s plans, with the Napoli manager maintaining that a player must be assessed across an entire campaign rather than on a single mistake.
