“He picked the wrong person to be upset with” - Antonio Conte responds to De Bruyne’s reaction to substitution in Napoli loss vs Milan

Napoli boss Antonio Conte has responded to Kevin De Bruyne's unhappy reaction after he was substituted during their 2-1 loss to AC Milan in Serie A on Sunday. September 28.

The Naples-based outfit were handed their first league defeat of the campaign by Nerazzurri at San Siro. First-half goals from Alexis Saelemaekers (3') and Christian Pulisic (31') gave Milan a comfortable lead in the encounter.

Massimiliano Allegri's side was reduced to 10 men in the second half after Pervis Estupinan was given a straight red for a foul on Giovanni Di Lorenzo in the box. De Bruyne stepped up to take the ensuing penalty, halving the deficit for Napoli (60').

With Napoli having the numerical advantage and searching for an equalizer, Conte surprisingly decided to pull off De Bruyne, replacing him with Eljif Elmas in the 72nd minute. The manager's decision did not sit well with the Belgian playmaker, who showed his frustration as he left the pitch.

Conte was quizzed about the player's reaction to being substituted, and he said, as per SportsBible:

"I hope his frustration was about the result. If it was about the substitution, then he picked the wrong person to be upset with."

Kevin De Bruyne joined Napoli in the summer on a free transfer following the end of his contract with Manchester City. The 34-year-old has made six appearances for the Italian club, netting three goals.

Napoli, meanwhile, are second in the Serie A standings with 12 points from five matches. They are tied on points with table toppers AC Milan, who boast of a better goal difference.

Kevin De Bruyne sends heartfelt message to veteran midfielder after loss to AC Milan

Despite being unhappy with his substitution in the loss to AC Milan, Napoli star Kevin De Bruyne expressed delight at facing off with Luka Modric in the clash. Both stars moved to the Serie A this summer following the expiration of their contracts at Manchester City and Real Madrid, respectively.

The Belgian international posted a photo of himself and Modric chatting up after the match, with the caption:

"Everybody enjoys good football. Good to see you brate @lukamodric10."

Both players are regarded as two of the best midfielders of their generation. The Croat, meanwhile, was on the pitch for the entire duration of the match.