Kevin De Bruyne Discusses Romelu Lukaku's 'Difficult Situation' at Napoli

Kevin De Bruyne has acknowledged that Romelu Lukaku is in a "not good situation" at Napoli, suggesting that any issues at the club tend to be exaggerated.

The Belgian star made these comments during a Saturday press conference, addressing the ongoing controversy involving his national team colleague and Napoli forward, Lukaku.

De Bruyne Comments on Lukaku’s Napoli Ordeal

Lukaku recently remained in Belgium, choosing to train individually to regain full fitness for the 2026 World Cup, a decision made without Napoli's consent.

The Serie A club is reportedly furious with the 32-year-old striker and has threatened to exclude him from the squad if he does not report back to their training facility by next Tuesday.

Belgium coach Rudi Garcia has expressed support for Lukaku, hoping he will secure more playing time with Napoli after the international break.

De Bruyne remarked on the heightened scrutiny surrounding Napoli: "There’s always a lot of noise around Napoli. If something happens, it gets amplified. I don’t know the details or what exactly happened."

He added, "But it’s not a good situation for Romelu. There was a long-lasting injury, and I just hope he returns as soon as possible."

Lukaku is currently in Antwerp, undergoing training at the same facility where De Bruyne recently recovered from a severe muscle injury.

While De Bruyne has successfully returned to action for Napoli, Lukaku has had limited participation, making only seven appearances and scoring one goal in roughly 60 minutes of play across all competitions.

De Bruyne further elaborated on their parallel recovery journeys: "Romelu and I followed a similar path after our injuries. I did a full rehabilitation [in Belgium], Romelu partially in Antwerp and partially in Naples."

He concluded by highlighting the complications arising from differing opinions on rehabilitation: "When there are two different views, it’s hard to work together. There have been differences, and this is not ideal if you aim to get back in shape."