SouthernWorldwide.com – Napoli has suffered a significant setback just before their penultimate Serie A match, as key player Kevin De Bruyne has been ruled out of action.
The Belgian playmaker was a surprising omission from the squad for the Monday night clash against Bologna, reportedly due to an accident during training.
To the shock of the fans at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, De Bruyne was completely absent from the team sheet for Napoli’s crucial Serie A fixture.
The veteran midfielder did not even make the bench for Monday’s game against Bologna, immediately raising concerns about his fitness and availability for the remainder of the campaign.
Speaking to DAZN ahead of the match, Antonio Conte shed light on the nature of the setback. He revealed that a physical confrontation during a training session resulted in a significant facial injury.
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The former Inter and Chelsea boss confirmed that medical staff had to quickly attend to the Belgian international after a collision with a teammate.
Conte provided specific details about the injury, clarifying that while De Bruyne avoided a more serious head injury, the physical damage was severe enough to sideline him.
The manager’s update underscored the intensity of Napoli’s training sessions under his leadership, even as the season draws to a close.
“In training he had a head-to-head collision, and he opened up his cheekbone. They gave him four stitches; he had tests. There is no head trauma, but he is not playing,” Conte stated.
While the absence of De Bruyne was a bitter pill to swallow for the Partenopei, Conte found some solace in the return of a vital presence in the dressing room.
Giovanni Di Lorenzo made his return to the starting lineup, offering a much-needed boost to the defensive unit and the team’s overall leadership structure.
“Giovanni represents a bit of the Napoli of the last cycle that started a long time ago,” Conte remarked. “He is the only one to have won everything that has been won in the recent period. Charismatic player and, after 15 days since he returned to training with us, it was right that he returned as a starter.”
De Bruyne has personally endured a challenging season, having previously been sidelined for 129 days due to a hamstring muscle injury last October.
The former Manchester City star has featured in 19 matches across all competitions for Napoli this season, contributing five goals and three assists.
Napoli enters Monday’s game in second place in Serie A. However, they trail leaders Inter by 15 points and are two points ahead of AC Milan.
