Napoli, Anguissa may miss two months for Africa Cup of Nations | OneFootball

Napoli risks having to do without Frank Zambo Anguissa for longer than expected. The Cameroonian midfielder, one of Antonio Conte’s midfield pillars, will in fact be involved with his national team in the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations, scheduled from December 21 to January 18, 2026.

Napoli, Anguissa could face a two-month absence for the Africa Cup of Nations: here are all the matches he could miss

According to TuttoNapoli.net, Anguissa is expected to join Cameroon’s training camp between late November and early December, making an absence of nearly two months inevitable, also considering travel and the post-tournament recovery period.

Africa Cup of Nations 2025: tournament timeline and impact on Napoli

The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, which will be played from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026, could deprive Conte of a key piece during the most intense phase of the season. Cameroon, traditionally among the favorites to go deep in the competition, is unlikely to bow out in the early stages of the tournament. For this reason, Anguissa could miss up to 10–12 official matches across the league, domestic cups, and Europe.

The matches Anguissa could miss

Below is the full list of fixtures Napoli may play without their midfielder:

Late November

Roma – Napoli (November 30, 8:45 p.m.)

December

Napoli – Cagliari (December 3, Coppa Italia)

Napoli – Juventus (December 7, Serie A)

Benfica – Napoli (December 10, Champions League)

Udinese – Napoli (December 14, Serie A)

Napoli – Milan (December 18, Italian Super Cup semifinal)

Italian Super Cup final (December 22, if qualified)

Cremonese – Napoli (December 28, Serie A)

January

Lazio – Napoli (January 4, Serie A)

Napoli – Verona (January 7, Serie A)

Inter – Napoli (January 11, Serie A)

Napoli – Parma (January 14, Coppa Italia)

Napoli – Sassuolo (January 17, Serie A)

Copenhagen – Napoli (January 20, Champions League)

In the event of an early elimination for Cameroon, Anguissa could return sooner, but for now the most realistic scenario foresees an absence from November 30 until the end of January 2026.

A heavy loss for the Azzurri midfield

Anguissa is one of Conte’s tactical linchpins at Napoli: physicality, balance, ball recovery, and transition ability. His absence will force the coach to devise new solutions in midfield, where Lobotka, Cajuste, and Zielinski can rotate, as well as new options like Traoré or Demme.

In a period packed with fixtures across Serie A, the Champions League, the Coppa Italia, and the Italian Super Cup, the Cameroonian’s absence will be felt, especially against direct title rivals.

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