Napoli v Genoa: Conte to start Olivera and Neres, Lukaku nears return | OneFootball

After the defeat at San Siro against Milan, Napoli is ready to return to the field with a clear objective: to resume their march in the league.

Napoli-Genoa, Conte prepares two changes: Olivera and Neres from the start. Lukaku accelerates towards return

The victory against Sporting in the Champions League has restored confidence to the team, but against Genoa – visiting on Sunday evening at the "Diego Armando Maradona" stadium – continuity will be needed.

Vieira's Genoa arrives in Naples after a heavy home defeat to Lazio, still without victories in the league and at the bottom of the table along with Pisa and Lecce. For Conte, the occasion seems favorable to manage energies and offer space to those who have played less so far.

Conte's probable choices: Olivera and Neres as starters

According to Il Mattino, Antonio Conte is considering two changes compared to the lineup that faced Milan. Mathias Olivera and David Neres are expected to start from the first minute.

The Azzurri coach has decided to give Leonardo Spinazzola a rest, with Olivera ready to start in Serie A for the first time since the debut match against Sassuolo. Since then, he has played just half an hour in total over the last four outings.

In the attack, there is space for David Neres, who might have his first chance from the start. So far, the Brazilian winger has only been used in the final minutes of games. Matteo Politano, one of the most used players since the start of the season, will make way for him and now needs to recover energy.

Other choices: confirmations and targeted rotations

Despite the two changes, Conte does not foresee upheavals. Meret will still be in goal. In defense, there will be Di Lorenzo, Beukema, and Juan Jesus, while in midfield Anguissa, Lobotka, and De Bruyne are expected to play. McTominay, despite a period of decline, is set to maintain his starting position.

In attack, renewed trust in Hojlund, while Lucca will once again start from the bench.

Lukaku towards recovery: Supercoppa objective

On the injury front, good news comes from Romelu Lukaku. The Belgian forward, constantly followed by physiotherapists assisting him since his return to Belgium at the end of August, is responding well to the recovery program.

According to the latest reports, the timeline might be shorter than expected. Initially, a return in January was discussed, but now the possibility of a recovery by mid-December is becoming more concrete. The goal? To be available for the Italian Supercoppa, scheduled in Riyadh starting from December 18, where Napoli will face Milan in the semifinal.

Final analysis

Conte is thus preparing a balanced Napoli: some targeted changes, but no revolutions. The goal is clear: to beat Genoa to erase the misstep in Milan and stay in the race for the top positions.

The possible early return of Lukaku represents encouraging news for the Azzurri, who are already looking ambitiously at the decisive challenges at the end of the year.

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