Napoli and Arsenal faced important injury concerns ahead of their Champions League opener at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Wednesday, September 9. Both teams entered the match with key players unavailable, although Napoli had the bigger problem in midfield.
Scott McTominay missed the game after undergoing a planned procedure to treat a mild, benign heart rhythm problem, while André-Frank Zambo Anguissa was ruled out with an adductor injury. Arsenal also had defensive concerns, with William Saliba out with a back injury.
Cristhian Mosquera remained out with a muscle problem, while Jurrien Timber returned to the squad after his groin issue. The match kicked off at 8 pm BST, with Napoli looking to recover from two straight Serie A defeats and Arsenal seeking to continue their strong start to the season.
Napoli vs Arsenal Injury News: Napoli Missing Key Midfielders
The latest Napoli vs Arsenal injury news confirmed that McTominay would miss the Champions League match after his successful heart procedure. Napoli said the Scotland international would rest for about two weeks before returning to training. He is expected to return after the October international break.
Anguissa also missed the game after suffering an adductor problem. Napoli manager Massimiliano Allegri confirmed the midfielder was unavailable. “There will not be a change of system, absolutely not,” Allegri said. “I’ve only got four midfielders, so three of them will start tomorrow.”
Alessandro Buongiorno, Giovane and Luca Marianucci were also unavailable. David Neres remained a doubt because of a knee problem, with Allegri saying the club would assess him on match day.
Kevin De Bruyne was expected to make his first Napoli start after three substitute appearances. Billy Gilmour and Stanislav Lobotka were also in line to start in midfield, with Rasmus Højlund expected to lead the attack.
Arsenal Injury News: Saliba and Mosquera Miss Out
The Arsenal injury news centered on the defense. William Saliba remained out with a back injury and did not travel to Naples. Cristhian Mosquera also missed the match after suffering a muscle problem.
Timber provided better Arsenal injury news. The Netherlands international returned to the squad after missing the start of the season with a groin problem. Arsenal had managed his return carefully after his summer surgery.
With Saliba and Mosquera unavailable, Ezri Konsa was expected to start alongside Gabriel Magalhães. Ben White was set to play at right-back, while Riccardo Calafiori and Piero Hincapié were options on the left.
Arsenal entered the Champions League match after beating Chelsea 2-1 and winning their opening three Premier League games. Napoli, meanwhile, had lost their previous two Serie A matches against Como and Inter.
Napoli vs Arsenal Predicted Lineups and Team News
UEFA’s predicted lineups had Napoli starting with Alex Meret in goal, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Amir Rrahmani, Rafa Marín and Leonardo Spinazzola in defense. Lobotka, Gilmour and De Bruyne were expected in midfield, with David Neres, Højlund and Alisson Santos in attack.
Arsenal were expected to line up with David Raya, White, Konsa, Gabriel and Calafiori in defense. Bruno Guimarães and Declan Rice were the predicted midfield pairing, while Bukayo Saka, Martin Ødegaard, Christos Tzolis and Kai Havertz completed the expected attack.
The Napoli vs Arsenal injury news therefore left both managers with selection issues, particularly in defense for Arsenal and midfield for Napoli.
Napoli vs Arsenal Injury News: Key Absences Leave Both Sides Short Before Champions League Clash