Manna: De Bruyne is in a more comfortable role for the Porto match

Napoli sporting director Giovanni Manna said that Kevin De Bruyne is playing in a position where he has historically felt more comfortable against FC Porto. Manna stressed that Kevin is a top-level player who can play anywhere. He said tonight's lineup was determined by the number of players currently available.

De Bruyne came off on Sunday in the 2-0 defeat to Juventus after suffering an ankle sprain, and was a serious doubt before the match. The player had not hidden his discomfort at being pushed into a deeper playmaker role by Max Allegri in recent weeks. This time he is in the starting XI, playing in a more advanced role behind Rasmus Hojlund.

Manna said they know Benoit Badiashile, who is coming from Chelsea, carries a risk because of his past problems. Noting that they are also following Buongiorno, Manna said Napoli have suffered injury problems over the past three years, a complaint Conte also raised. He cited the traumatic injuries of Di Lorenzo and Lobotka as examples.

Manna also noted that Anguissa had problems last season and is in the recovery process, while David Neres suffered a recurring injury. Stating that the Champions League is a long race, Manna said they expect a strong performance from the team.