De Bruyne Needs Time To Return To His Best, Says Conte

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Napoli edged Lecce 2-1 in Serie A, moving within one point of second-placed AC Milan, but Antonio Conte focused on managing returning players and a late medical scare for Lameck Banda, stressing patience with Kevin De Bruyne and others who are still regaining full fitness after injuries.

De Bruyne featured as a second-half substitute, just as in the recent match against Torino, while Frank Anguissa and Billy Gilmour also continued comebacks, and Romelu Lukaku and Scott McTominay stayed on the bench until the interval or longer as Conte rotated carefully with Champions League qualification in mind.

Conte underlined that Napoli must not rush the stars returning from injury, even after a win in Serie A against Lecce. "These are great players, but we must give them time to regain the match tempo, Conte told DAZN, as reported by Football Italia. It's true that the lads need to regain confidence, but the most important thing is the common good, which is what is good for Napoli. I made choices and made changes at half-time. Everyone wants to play, but we've got to be smart, and they must trust what I see and feel. The most important thing is that we qualify for the Champions League."

The match ended with concern for Lecce winger Lameck Banda, who suddenly went down near the touchline holding the chest area, with Conte reacting first and rushing inside the pitch as Napoli staff and medical teams from both sides responded and Banda was given treatment before being carried off on a stretcher. "I was right there preparing the wall for a free-kick, and I saw him looking a bit shaky. He started to go down, then he had his hand on his chest, which really frightened me, Conte said. I rushed onto the field and called for help. I hope he is doing well and has a quick recovery."

Earlier, the creative load for Napoli in Serie A against Lecce was shared by De Bruyne and Matteo Politano, who each produced two key passes, with Politano assisting Rasmus Hojlund's equaliser before scoring the decisive goal, while Anguissa made way for De Bruyne after returning from the sidelines, Gilmour completed the full ninety minutes, Lukaku stayed unused, and McTominay entered for the second half as Conte adjusted the shape.

The win against Lecce, highlighted on Napoli's official channels, tightened the Serie A race behind AC Milan, but Conte's comments stressed long-term goals over short-term excitement, with careful squad management, concern for Banda's health and an emphasis on Champions League qualification shaping Napoli's approach to the coming weeks.