Kevin De Bruyne has acknowledged that Romelu Lukaku is facing a challenging situation at Napoli, suggesting that events concerning the club often receive heightened attention.
During a Saturday press conference, the Belgian midfielder addressed the recent controversy surrounding his national and club teammate, Lukaku.
De Bruyne on Lukaku’s Napoli Row
Lukaku has reportedly stayed in Belgium for individual training, seeking to recover full fitness for the 2026 World Cup, a move made without Napoli’s approval.
The Neapolitan club is said to be angered by the 32-year-old striker’s actions, threatening to exclude him from the squad if he doesn’t report to their training facility by the upcoming Tuesday.
Interestingly, Belgium’s coach, Rudi Garcia, expressed support for Lukaku, voicing his hope that the striker would see more game time at Napoli following the international break.
Speaking while on international duty with Belgium, De Bruyne remarked, “There’s always significant attention around Napoli. Any incident tends to be exaggerated. I’m not privy to the exact details of what occurred.”
He added, “However, it’s clearly an undesirable situation for Romelu. He’s been dealing with a prolonged injury, and my main wish is for his swift return.”
Lukaku is currently undertaking training in Antwerp, utilizing the same clinic where De Bruyne himself underwent rehabilitation for a severe muscle injury in recent months.
While De Bruyne has recently rejoined the Partenopei’s lineup, Lukaku has seen limited action, featuring in just seven matches across all competitions, accumulating a mere 60 minutes of play and scoring a single goal.
De Bruyne concluded, “Romelu and I followed comparable recovery paths post-injury. I completed my full rehabilitation in Belgium, whereas Romelu split his recovery between Antwerp and Naples.”
He further commented, “When differing perspectives exist, collaboration becomes challenging. There have been disagreements, which isn’t conducive when the goal is to regain peak physical condition.”