Massimiliano Allegri hailed "extraordinary guy" Kevin De Bruyne after the Belgian playmaker came off the bench to inspire Napoli to a 2-0 victory over Genoa in their Serie A season opener.

De Bruyne broke the deadlock in the 82nd minute before setting up Antonio Vergara to wrap up the points and secure a winning start to Allegri's tenure against Daniele De Rossi's Genoa side.

The goal marked the third time in De Bruyne's career that he has scored in the opening league match of a top-five European league campaign, having previously done so last season with Napoli and in 2020-21 with Manchester City.

Allegri: 'He sees things other players cannot see'

Allegri was full of praise for the midfielder's match-winning impact and vision.

"I'm happy because Kevin De Bruyne is an extraordinary guy; he does things that are completely different to the usual players," Allegri told Sky Italia. "The determination he showed scoring that goal, he sees things that other players cannot see. There are few like him around."

The victory maintained Napoli's impressive opening-day record, having now won their Serie A opener in nine of the last 10 seasons (W9 L1).

Focus on squad depth and sharpness

Allegri stressed that early-season form requires patience and highlighted the vital role played by substitutions as Napoli balance domestic and European commitments.

"The team is working well, but when players are very strong and physical, it takes them longer to get into good shape," Allegri explained. "We need everyone when playing in the Champions League, and substitutions are decisive at this level, both when we're winning or losing games.

"The first match is always lacking the sharpness we'll see in six weeks or so, and it is therefore important to be organised. We need to stop the passes coming through in defence, but at this stage of the season, it's about making as few mistakes as possible."