Napoli launched their Serie A title defence in style with a 2-0 victory over Sassuolo at the Mapei Stadium on Saturday, thanks to standout performances from Scott McTominay and debutant Kevin De Bruyne.
McTominay, last season’s league MVP, opened the scoring in the 17th minute, rising highest to head home Matteo Politano’s pinpoint cross.
De Bruyne, making his first league appearance for the champions, doubled the advantage midway through the second half with a perfectly executed free-kick from a tight angle in the 57th minute.
Sassuolo’s night worsened when Ismael Kone was dismissed after receiving a second yellow card late on, leaving the hosts to finish with ten men.
Despite the absence of injured striker Romelu Lukaku, Napoli looked sharp in attack with Lorenzo Lucca spearheading the frontline.
In midfield, McTominay and De Bruyne dictated the tempo, with the Scot’s early strike setting the tone and the Belgian’s vision and creativity offering a glimpse of a promising partnership.
Manager Antonio Conte praised his side’s strong start but stressed that more work lies ahead in fully integrating De Bruyne into the system. “It’s important to find the right balance between McTominay’s physical presence and De Bruyne’s technical control,” Conte said.
The result signals a confident beginning for Napoli as they chase a third Scudetto in four years, with their new-look midfield already showing signs of being central to the campaign.
