Serie A

Conte pushed for De Bruyne to take Napoli penalty that ‘should have been revoked’

October 25, 2025

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Conte pushed for De Bruyne to take Napoli penalty that ‘should have been revoked’

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 18: Antonio Conte, Head Coach of Napoli, looks on prior to the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD1 match between Manchester City and SSC Napoli at City of Manchester Stadium on September 18, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

DAZN reports that Antonio Conte urged Kevin De Bruyne to take a penalty against Inter instead of David Neres, but referee pundit Luca Marelli argues that the spot kick should have been revoked by VAR.

Napoli took the lead in the first half of a home game against Inter on Saturday thanks to a penalty kick converted by De Bruyne, who even got injured while kicking the ball.

DAZN reports that David Neres had already put the ball under his arm to take the penalty, but Conte said De Bruyne should have stepped up instead.

David Neres not allowed to take Napoli penalty

Napoli’s forward David Neres celebrates a goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match SSC Napoli vs Como 1907 at Diego Armando Maradona stadium in Naples, Italy, 04 October 2024. EPA-EFE/CESARE ABBATE

According to the report, Conte told Matteo Politano to inform his teammates that KDB should have taken the spot kick.

There will surely be controversy regarding the penalty given to the Partenopei, which was awarded for a Henrikh Mkhitaryan foul on Giovanni Di Lorenzo.

MILAN, ITALY - SEPTEMBER 28: Kevin De Bruyne of Napoli scores a penalty goal during the Serie A match between AC Milan and SSC Napoli at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on September 28, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images) — MILAN, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 28: Kevin De Bruyne of Napoli
scores a penalty goal during the Serie A match between AC Milan and SSC Napoli at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on September 28, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

DAZN referee pundit Luca Marelli has already claimed that it was a wrong call from the official Maurizio Mariani and the VAR.

Marelli: ‘Napoli-Inter penalty should have been revoked’

TURIN, ITALY - OCTOBER 18: Antonio Conte, Head Coach of Napoli, reacts during the Serie A match between Torino FC and SSC Napoli at Stadio Olimpico di Torino on October 18, 2025 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images) — TURIN, ITALY – OCTOBER 18: Antonio Conte, Head Coach of Napoli, reacts during the Serie A match between Torino FC and SSC Napoli at Stadio Olimpico di Torino on October 18, 2025 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)

“I repeat that there was no penalty for Napoli. It should have been overturned by VAR,” Marelli said via Daniele Mari.

“The contact was clearly initiated by Di Lorenzo. Mkhitaryan did not move towards Di Lorenzo. There was no foul from Acerbi, who played the ball. It’s a penalty that should have been revoked.”

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