Napoli tried to put aside the small scandal that rocked the Champions League final against Villarreal, in which coach Gennaro Gattuso and Belgian midfielder Kevin DeBruyne found themselves in a small communication clash. In the pre-match press conference against Venezia, Gattuso said he had "deflated" the story, explaining that the misunderstanding was due to a linguistic difference: he spoke Italian, DeBruyne English, and then Gattuso changed the language to facilitate understanding. He added that it is a situation "that happens and happens again", and that the player is "intelligent and has understood".
The club's sporting director, Manna, confirmed the same position. In his interview with Dazn he declared that he "intervened at the right time" and that he considered the incident "a bar chatter" that was "a little emphasized". He reiterated that DeBruyne is a champion and that, if he is fit, he can play wherever he wants, but that he now needs to rest. The Belgian was placed on the bench for the match against Venezia, ready to lend a hand if the team needed it.
Manna then spoke about the need to improve Napoli's position in the standings, both in the Champions League and in Serie A. He said that "we need to get results, to give continuity" and that the club must "move up the rankings". He also expressed confidence in the young midfielder Lucca, who starts at Venezia, underlining that the player must understand the responsibility of wearing the club's shirt and that he must give an important performance without pressure.
Napoli, which suffered a defeat against Villarreal, is now focused on the next match against Venezia, where the team tries to recover points and improve its position in the standings. Manna highlighted the importance of "getting well into the match" and giving a positive result. With the Champions League still ongoing, the club hopes to consolidate their position and continue to compete in both league and European competition.