Napoli – Between renewed smiles and a few grimaces of pain that urge caution, Napoli is counting its available players ahead of a fiery January.
Dr. Raffaele Canonico, the head of the medical staff, took stock of the Azzurri's medical situation in an interview with Radio Crc. The resulting picture is mixed: while Antonio Conte is rediscovering his attacking hero, he must also manage delicate situations regarding creativity and midfield.
The Return of Big Rom
The most anticipated news concerns Romelu Lukaku. The Belgian giant has overcome his physical problems and is technically ready. "Whoever sits on the bench can play, that's the prerequisite," Canonico clarified, referring to the recent Super Cup, where the striker's presence was also dictated by dressing room considerations.
"He's been working fully with the team in recent days. Now it's up to the coach to assess the situation, but Lukaku is medically fit." A key player who returns to the tactical game at a crucial moment.
The Neres case and prudence
The news regarding David Neres is less optimistic. The Brazilian winger is battling the after-effects of a sprained ankle that's proving more serious than expected. "His clinical progress has been positive, but with increased loads, the boy is still experiencing pain," explains the club doctor.
Hence the decision not to take him to Copenhagen and to slow down his rehabilitation. "The ideal thing now is not to push things too hard. We'll see what happens in Turin, while the Chelsea match remains a possibility, but it's difficult."
The midfield: Anguissa and the times of De Bruyne
The situation is also complex in midfield. Zambo Anguissa, who seemed ready for an early return, has suffered a setback. "He suffered a back injury towards the end of Tuesday's training session, a severe and unpredictable attack of lumbago," Canonico revealed. Work is underway to rejoin him by the weekend.
A longer wait, as expected, for Kevin De Bruyne (whose inclusion in the 2026 squad suggested by the text suggests a stellar transfer window, ed.). For the champion, fresh from surgery, the prognosis remains confirmed: "His full reintegration into the team is expected between the end of February and the beginning of March."
Good news for Elmas, who has overcome his flu symptoms and is back to training regularly. Gilmour, who underwent Sports Hernia surgery, is about three weeks away from returning: his latest check-up was positive.
Meret's ordeal and the calendar alarm
Finally, the goalkeeping chapter. Alex Meret, bluntly described as "unlucky" by Dr. Canonico, has overcome yet another obstacle. After suffering a stress fracture in his foot, the goalkeeper suffered a serious injury to his left arm after being benched against Inter. "For privacy reasons, I prefer not to go into details, but the specialist consultation ruled out a lengthy process. He should be available in Turin."
Canonico concludes with a bitter warning about the compressed schedule: "We don't even have three days of recovery between games. In effect, we only have one day to prepare for the match, while the players are still recovering."
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Comments (1)
It's truly a difficult period for Napoli, especially with the injuries that continue to plague the team. Lukaku seems to have recovered, but Neres and Anguissa are having problems, and it's unclear when they'll return to the field.