Napoli: Lukaku nears return, Conte awaits, Champions League boost | OneFootball

Napoli sees a heavily anticipated and potentially decisive return on the horizon. Romelu Lukaku, sidelined since mid-August due to a severe muscle injury, is completing a recovery process much faster than expected.

Napoli, Lukaku speeds up recovery: Conte ready to welcome him back in early December, a turning point also for the Champions League

The Belgian striker, who has been working for weeks at Castel Volturno to regain tone and brilliance, has now overcome the critical phase and is nearing his return to the group.

According to sources from the Napoli camp, the countdown has begun: just ten days, maybe a little more, are needed to see Lukaku at least among the squad. This opens up immediate and significant scenarios for both Serie A and the European journey.

Return between Roma and Coppa Italia: Conte's options

Napoli is considering two windows for reintegrating the former Inter striker. The first is the league match against Roma on November 30, where Lukaku could sit on the bench as the first step towards re-entering the competition.

The second option concerns the Coppa Italia round of 16 on December 3 against Cagliari, an ideal opportunity for gradual playing time. A phased return, designed to lead him to the first major crossroads of the month: Napoli-Juventus on December 7, a match with significant weight in the race for top positions.

Antonio Conte is watching every update with great attention. Within the club, there is a recurring sentiment: “Lukaku is central to the project, and having him back by early December changes the perspective of the entire season.”

Champions League chapter: a return that can transform the European journey

If the return in the league is important, the one in the Champions League could be decisive. Napoli's standings in the Phase League do not reflect initial expectations, and next week, in the match against Qarabag, much of the immediate European future will be decided.

Lukaku, excluded from the Champions League list in September, can now be reinserted by the sixth matchday, taking advantage of the spot left vacant by Kevin De Bruyne's long-term injury. According to the regulations, this is a possibility granted in the group stage, and the club has already planned to use it.

In this scenario, the date marked in red is December 10, when Napoli will play in Lisbon against Benfica. It is an indirect elimination match, crucial in the race for the playoffs, the minimum goal for the Italian Champions who cannot enter the Top-8.

Sources close to the player report that “Lukaku considers that match as the true restart point.”

A return that reshapes Napoli

Lukaku's early recovery is not just about numbers and timing. Conte is already evaluating how his return could impact the team's tactical structure. The prospect of a more direct, physical Napoli, capable of raising the center of gravity thanks to a central reference of weight, represents a possible evolution consistent with the coach's thinking.

The reality today is that Napoli is preparing to regain one of its most impactful elements at the most delicate moment of the season. And they do so with a new awareness, that of being able to face December with weapons that just a few weeks ago seemed destined to remain unusable for much longer.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.