Napoli sweating over Meret: muscle injury on eve of Fiorentina clash | OneFootball

Napoli returned from Florence with three valuable points, but also with a warning sign between the posts. Shortly before the match against Fiorentina, Alex Meret experienced a muscle discomfort that forced him to withdraw. Antonio Conte, speaking after the match, clarified the situation: “He felt pain as early as Friday, so we decided not to risk him before the match.” A decision made out of caution, considering the upcoming international commitments awaiting the team.

Examinations scheduled, Champions League at risk for the goalkeeper

Today, the team took a rest day after returning from the Tuscan trip. For Meret, however, clinical examinations are scheduled to clarify the extent of the problem and the recovery time. The goal is to determine if he can be available against Manchester City, the Champions League debut match at the Etihad Stadium. His presence remains highly doubtful, and it is not excluded that Conte may have to rely once again on Milinkovic-Savic, who was already the starter at the Franchi.

The situation in goal is further complicated by another absence. In recent days, Nikita Contini also stopped due to a hand fracture. The goalkeeper, born in '96, will be unavailable for about a month, making it inevitable to resort to backup options in case of Meret's prolonged unavailability. Conte hopes to have his number one back soon, aware of the importance of a player who has provided security and consistency. The next few hours will be decisive: the outcome of the examinations will determine whether the alarm will subside or if Napoli will have to manage a real emergency just before the big European night.

Andrea Alati

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