With Benfica lurking, Antonio Conte weighs up his future at Napoli | OneFootball

Antonio Conte has his hands full after the confirmation of the worst-case scenario regarding one of his players. As disclosed, the Italian coach will not be able to count on the creative Kevin De Bruyne in the coming months, which may leave the Belgian out of the match against Benfica in the Champions League.

The player who strengthened the Italian champion this season was injured in Saturday's match against Inter, after taking a penalty kick. Despite the victory against one of their direct rivals (3-1), Antonio Conte thus sees the worst scenario confirmed for De Bruyne, who, due to a serious thigh injury, will be forced to stop for several months.

It turned out to be a somewhat comical incident, as the player injured himself at the moment he converted the penalty, in the 33rd minute, putting Napoli ahead against the Nerazzurri. Four minutes later, the number 11 was substituted, leaving the field supported by medical team members.

Today, October 27, Napoli, through a statement, explained the nature of the problem affecting the Belgian international: "Following the injury sustained during the match against Inter, Kevin De Bruyne underwent examinations at Pineta Grande Hospital, which revealed a high-grade injury to the right thigh's biceps femoris".

This is the second confirmed absence among the Eagles' opponents. Napoli did not specify the recovery time; however, Gazzetta dello Sport claims the player is only expected to return next year, that is, at the beginning of 2026. Thus, Kevin De Bruyne will be a significant loss for Napoli in their trip to Estádio da Luz on December 10.

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