'An extraordinary guy' - Massimiliano Allegri hails Kevin De Bruyne magic as the former Manchester City star inspires Napoli victory over Genoa

Allegri was left in awe of De Bruyne’s impact following his side's 2-0 win over Genoa on Saturday evening. The Belgian maestro, despite not being fully fit, proved to be the catalyst for the Partenopei, breaking the deadlock and providing the assist for the second goal in a transformative cameo performance. Allegri was quick to point out that the midfielder possesses a level of perception that sets him apart from almost every other player in world football, highlighting the decisive nature of his contribution at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris.

"I’m happy because Kevin De Bruyne is an extraordinary guy, he does things that are completely different to the usual players. The determination he showed scoring that goal, he sees things that other players cannot see. There are few like him around," Allegri told Sky Sport Italia.

The match was not always going Napoli's way, as the first half saw a lacklustre performance from the visitors. Allegri admitted that his team struggled to find their feet early on, with several players looking short of peak physical condition. The coach noted that Genoa applied significant pressure during the opening half-hour, forcing errors as Napoli tried to build from the back. However, the introduction of De Bruyne alongside Antonio Vergara and Noa Lang completely changed the complexion of the game, allowing the Serie A giants to finally take control of the proceedings in Liguria.

"The first game will always be a bit of a curiosity, as I’ve only known the team for six weeks, so I don’t know which players can do better than others in these situations coming off the bench. There was a little indecision on the substitutions therefore, but they did really well. Genoa had a very good game for the first 25-30 minutes, where we made a lot of mistakes playing out from the back. As the game wore on, we took more control," Allegri explained.

The deadlock was broken in the 82nd minute when De Bruyne muscled his way past Johan Vasquez to fire home from close range. The goal sparked furious protests from the Genoa players and coaching staff, who were adamant that the Belgian had committed a foul in the build-up by pushing the defender. Despite the outcry, the goal stood, and Napoli quickly doubled their advantage through Vergara to seal the three points. The incident proved to be the turning point in a match that had remained stubbornly goalless for the majority of the evening.

When questioned about the controversial nature of the opening strike, Allegri took a light-hearted approach, claiming he did not have a clear view of the incident from the technical area. "My vision was never great, so I didn’t see it properly from the touchline," he shrugged.

Allegri emphasized the importance of squad depth and the necessity of managing player fitness during the early stages of the campaign. He acknowledged that the team is still searching for its peak sharpness but remained optimistic about the work being done on the training ground.

“The team is working well, but when players are very strong and physical, it takes them longer to get into good shape. We need everyone when playing in the Champions League, and substitutions are decisive at this level, both when we’re winning or losing games. The first match is always lacking the sharpness we’ll see in six weeks or so, and it is therefore important to be organised. We need to stop the passes coming through in defence, but at this stage of the season, it’s about making as few mistakes as possible," Allegri concluded.

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