Conte: Di Lorenzo dismissal ruined Napoli's Champions League return

Antonio Conte believes Giovanni Di Lorenzo's first-half red card ruined Napoli's Champions League return against Manchester City on Thursday.

Conte watched on as the Serie A champions were beaten 2-0 by City, with Erling Haaland becoming the quickest player in the competition's history to score 50 goals, reaching that figure in just 49 matches.

Jeremy Doku rounded off the scoring with a brilliant solo goal in the 65th minute, though the damage was ultimately done when the Napoli captain was sent off early on. 

Di Lorenzo was handed his marching orders in the 21st minute after attempting to slide the ball away from the on-rushing Haaland, instead catching the Norwegian. 

The hosts' appeals were initially turned away by referee Felix Zwayer, but he overturned his decision after being sent to the monitor to review the last-man foul. 

Indeed, Di Lorenzo became the third Napoli player to receive a red card in the Champions League, after Juan Camilo Zuniga against Bayern Munich in November 2011 and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa against AC Milan in April 2023.

"Honestly, I did not see the situation. When you have a red card after 20 minutes, you are dressing the game in one way," Conte told TNT Sports. 

"The game was ruined because of this red card. I don't know if it was right. The referee got the decision, and we have to accept it."

Napoli were only able to muster an expected goals (xG) figure of 0.17 from their one attempt at Gianluigi Donnarumma's goal, compared to City's 2.18 from their 23 attempts. 

The visitors' only effort at goal almost opened the scoring, but Sam Beukema's towering header was expertly saved by Donnarumma low to his right-hand side. 

However, that chance, which came just over three minutes before Di Lorenzo was dismissed, was the closest Napoli came to ever threatening the scoreboard. 

Napoli have failed to win any of their 13 away games against English sides in Europe (D3 L10), with three of those encounters coming against City (D1 L2), though Conte saw positives from the display which he intends to use for the remainder of their campaign. 

"It's difficult to play against Manchester City 11 versus 11, and after 20 minutes it is impossible with 10 men," Conte added.

"Defensively, we were really good, but with their two goals, we could do much better, but I don't have anything to tell my players – the commitment, the attitude was good.

"If it had continued 11 versus 11, you could see another game, in my opinion. We're talking about Man City, a fantastic team, and we have to recover and prepare to play the next game.

"I came back to Italy with the mentality of the team and I like the way they suffered together, but we can't concede two goals.

"We need to think about the next game in the league and I think we can do well in the Champions League."

Di Lorenzo's sending off forced Conte to reshuffle his team, with the returning Kevin De Bruyne the player sacrificed for Mathias Olivera with just 26 minutes on the clock. 

De Bruyne was hoping to make an impact on his first appearance at the Etihad Stadium since his switch to Naples, after 10 trophy-laden years in Manchester. 

"It was the only option I could do. I was really, really sorry for him as it was a game against his old team," Conte conceded. 

"But Kevin understood very well. I had only this decision, this option."