28.10.2025
Napoli will be without midfielder Kevin De Bruyne who has been knocked out by a reoccurring hamstring injury.
The Belgian will undergo surgery on Wednesday, and he is not expected back till February 2026. De Bruyne suffered a severe lesion to the thigh muscle in a Serie A game against Inter last Saturday.
De Bruyne scored from the penalty spot for Napoli only to wince in pain and clutched hamstring as Napoli coach Antonio Conte watched on nervously. De Bruyne, who’s struggled with injuries in recent years, had to be withdrawn.
De Bruyne sustained an injury to the same muscle in August 2023, which sidelined him for five months. During that period, he missed 28 matches for Manchester City and one for the Belgium national team.
De Bruyne underwent surgery two years ago as well, while his teammate and compatriot Romelu Lukaku, who sustained a similar injury this past August, has opted for conservative therapy.
Injured and out...Kevin De Bruyne