The Italian giants endured a miserable evening in Portugal, with the result adding to an increasingly difficult start to the season under Massimiliano Allegri. Their problems have extended beyond results, however, with reports of friction between players now raising questions about the unity of the squad.
One particularly heated incident involved De Bruyne and striker Lorenzo Lucca. The pair confronted each other during the Porto defeat after becoming involved in an argument, with Lucca reportedly telling the Belgian midfielder to “f*** off” repeatedly.
The exchange escalated before the two players eventually went their separate ways. It was an uncomfortable moment for a team already struggling to find consistency, and appeared to reflect the frustration spreading through the group.
The atmosphere was also evident in the comments made after the final whistle. Matteo Politano suggested that responsibility for explaining the performance should not fall solely on the Italian players.
“It would be nice if a few other teammates came here to give an explanation and not just us Italians, but never mind, I never hide my face,” he said.
Politano was also critical of the team's attitude, insisting that Napoli needed to rediscover a collective approach before their next fixture.
“The attitude is one that a team like ours cannot have at this level. I was not attacking anyone, we have a squad that is struggling, but we need to come together and think about this next game before the break for international duty.
“Hopefully we can recover a few players during that spell and then our season can really begin.”
Reports in Italy have described a growing divide between the club’s domestic and overseas players, although the tensions are understood to stem largely from frustration with results rather than any single dispute. De Bruyne, Rasmus Hojlund and Stanislav Lobotka have been characterised as more reserved personalities who have not necessarily developed the same connections with team-mates away from the pitch.
Scott McTominay, meanwhile, made no attempt to disguise his anger after the Porto defeat, pointing to the number of injuries as one factor behind the team's difficulties.
“Of course I’m angry. We lost 4-1 in the Champions League; there’s nothing to smile about. For us, it’s go on and try to figure out how to fix it,” he said.
“We’ve had a lot of injuries, a lot of important players you can’t change; attacking players as well. Let’s not beat around the bush; we’ve got a lot of injuries, and that makes a big difference whenever you come into play every three days.”
McTominay acknowledged that the injury situation could not excuse the team's performances, adding that Napoli still needed to improve.
“People need to understand that, but we also need to do better. First and foremost, we need to do better, injuries in football are part of it, but we have too many.”
Napoli have nine players sidelined, placing further demands on those available. The squad's difficulties also recall the concerns raised by Antonio Conte last season, when he questioned the balance of a group that had welcomed nine new signings following their title success.
“Nine new players were too many. We weren't balanced,” Conte said at the time, while also acknowledging the need to rebuild the chemistry that had helped Napoli win the Scudetto.
The latest defeat has brought those questions back into focus. With results deteriorating and frustrations becoming increasingly visible, Allegri faces the challenge of restoring confidence and getting the squad pulling in the same direction.