Napoli keeper crisis: Meret out over 40 days, may return in 2026 | OneFootball

Alex Meret's injury, the designated starter for the Maradona match, complicates the plans of the Azzurri coach and creates a real emergency between the posts.

Napoli, goalkeeping alarm: Meret's fracture and a stop of over 40 days. He risks returning in 2026

Instrumental tests have indeed revealed a fracture of the second metatarsal of the right foot, an injury that will keep him out for at least 40 days, but could force him to return only in 2026.

Meret injury: fracture in the right foot, out for at least 6 weeks

The official medical bulletin from Napoli confirmed the diagnosis:

“During Friday morning's session, Alex Meret sustained a fracture of the second metatarsal of the right foot. The player underwent tests at the Pineta Grande Hospital.”

A serious and unfortunate injury, occurring on the eve of the big match with Inter, deprives Conte of his starting goalkeeper at a key moment of the season.

According to the estimated times by the medical staff, the stop should last between 6 and 8 weeks, but a longer return is not excluded if bone recovery requires additional time.

In the worst-case scenario, Meret could be available only at the beginning of 2026, thus missing an important part of the first half of the season.

“He hurt himself”: the dynamics of the injury

As reported by Pasquale Tina of Radio Marte, Meret's injury occurred fortuitously during the final training session at Castel Volturno:

“Alex was unlucky, he was supposed to start against Inter. He placed his foot wrong and fractured it himself. A long stop, between six and eight weeks.”

No contact with teammates or opponents: it was a wrong movement during a push phase that caused the fracture in the right foot.

An episode that confirms Napoli's extreme bad luck, already dealing with several physical problems in the squad.

Goalkeeper emergency: only Milinkovic-Savic remains

Meret's injury opens a real goalkeeper case at Napoli.

With Nikita Contini still sidelined due to a hand problem, Conte finds himself with only Vanja Milinkovic-Savic as the first-team goalkeeper.

The former Torino player will defend the Azzurri's goal in the upcoming Serie A and Champions matches, with the youth players ready to be called up as reserves.

The club is considering whether to anticipate Contini's return or intervene in the free agent market if the situation worsens.

Conte loses a silent leader

For Antonio Conte, Meret's absence represents a significant loss not only technically but also psychologically.

The Friulian goalkeeper, despite some rotations in the Champions League, was considered a reference point for the group and an element of continuity between the old and new management.

The Salento coach will now have to rely on the personality and experience of Milinkovic-Savic to maintain balance and defensive solidity during a crucial period of the season.

Recovery times and return hypothesis

For fractures of the second metatarsal, bone healing requires an average of 4-6 weeks, plus another 10-15 days of re-athletization and gradual reintegration into the group.

This means that, in the best-case scenario, Meret could return to the bench by mid-December, but if the recovery is slower, the return will be postponed to January 2026.

Prudence remains the watchword: the medical staff does not intend to rush the times to avoid relapses on such a delicate and painful injury.

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