De Bruyne on ‘strange’ Manchester City return with Napoli and difference between Guardiola & Conte

Originally posted on Football Italia | By Sam Wilson | Last updated Sep 6, 2025 1:50 PM ET

Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne has said he knows “it will be strange” when he returns to his old club Manchester City to play against them with Napoli in the Champions League.

The Serie A winners were drawn against Pep Guardiola’s side in the league phase of this year’s competition and Antonio Conte’s side will travel to England on September 18 in a hotly-anticipated match.

Speaking to the press ahead of his national team’s match against Kazakhstan tomorrow, with quotes via IlNapolista, De Bruyne said “Last year, I predicted that if I stayed in Europe, I would return to City in the Champions League. I know it will be strange. City is my club and that will never change.”

Conte ‘slower and more tactical’ than Guardiola – De Bruyne

The Belgian was also once again asked about the differences between his new coach Conte and Pep Guardiola, a recurring question that shows up in a lot of his interviews since he joined Napoli.

“It’s hard to say, I’ve only played two games for Napoli,” De Bruyne said, “Conte’s style is very different from Pep. He’s much more tactical and a bit slower. The style of play is different but so are the pitches, which are drier. This makes it harder to maintain the pace.”

De Bruyne’s move to Napoli was one of the most exciting stories in the summer, opting to join Conte’s side over other, potentially more lucrative, offers. He signed on a free transfer after his contract expired with Manchester City and he decided to move on to a new challenge.

This article first appeared on Football Italia and was syndicated with permission.

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