Antonio Conte gives De Bruyne list of rules to follow as warning Issued after touchline gesture

Once it became evident that the Belgian playmaker would be leaving the Etihad Stadium, multiple clubs were linked with him, including Premier League contenders Liverpool.

In June, it was confirmed that the 33-year-old had agreed to join Serie A side Napoli on a two-year contract.

Upon his arrival, manager Conte made it clear to his new marquee signing the expectations he enforces at every club he’s managed.

Throughout his tenures at Juventus, Spurs, and Chelsea, Conte has been known for implementing strict nutritional guidelines.

Back in 2016, while managing Chelsea, Conte prohibited fizzy drinks, pizza, ketchup, and brown sauce, replacing traditional condiments with balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

When he later took charge of Spurs, Conte also removed ketchup and mayonnaise from the players’ diet, with defender Davinson Sanchez publicly sharing insights into the manager’s demands.

“He’s demanding a lot,” Sanchez told Sky Sports. “Whether it be from training sessions to meetings, eating and sleeping.

“It’s linking with the performance work and then that allows you to be able to help the team to make more effort on the pitch. The performances are coming more easily and you feel healthy in the way that you are playing and training as well.”

Given De Bruyne’s extensive experience at the elite level, it would be expected that he’d adapt easily to his manager’s standards.

However, his reaction during Sunday’s Serie A away fixture against Milan may indicate otherwise, as De Bruyne visibly expressed frustration after being substituted early.

Reports from Italian media suggest Conte chose not to confront the midfielder directly, opting instead to address the squad collectively about the conduct he expects.

Corriere dello Sport reports that Conte warned his players that such actions would be tolerated only once, a message De Bruyne acknowledged but did not respond to.

Conte later commented on De Bruyne’s reaction during his post-match press conference, saying: “I hope he was irritated at the result, because if he was irritated about something else, he is dealing with the wrong person.”