The admiration for De Bruyne extended beyond the playing staff, as Mikel Arteta was seen sharing a warm exchange with his former player at full-time. Arteta, who worked closely with the Belgian during his time as an assistant coach at Manchester City, was effusive in his praise for the Napoli star during his post-match media duties.
Arteta told reporters: “If there is a player in Napoli that is one of my favourite-ever players, that is Kevin De Bruyne, who I had the luxury to train and to be with him for almost four years. In my opinion, he is one of the best midfielders ever and still a joy to watch him play.” The respect was clearly mutual, with De Bruyne also praising Arsenal and claiming they are “maybe the best team in the world.”
While De Bruyne dominated much of the tactical battle in the middle of the park, it was Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard who ultimately decided the contest. The Norwegian playmaker found the net with a late strike to ensure Arteta’s side left Italy with a perfect start to their European journey.