San Siro

Tension simmered behind the scenes at Napoli this week after Kevin De Bruyne openly displayed frustration upon being substituted during their recent trip to San Siro. The Belgian’s reaction triggered a group meeting involving sporting director Lele Oriali and manager Antonio Conte, who made it clear to the entire squad that public dissent would no longer be tolerated.

Though De Bruyne himself escaped a fine, the message was unambiguous: protests toward decisions from the touchline will draw disciplinary consequences. According to reports from Italian outlets, Conte addressed his players as a unit, warning that such conduct would be tolerated only …