Conte: ‘Napoli have no news on injuries, some things we cannot change’
Antonio Conte insists he has ‘no news’ on when Napoli stars will return from injury, as he makes changes against Sassuolo. ‘We must shift the balance where we can and accept things we cannot change.’
It kicks off at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona at 17.00 GMT (18.00 CET).
This is a sad day for Calcio, as Fiorentina announced the death of President Rocco Commisso this morning, at the age of 76.
The lack of squad rotation due to the injury crisis is causing visible fatigue, with Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa, Romelu Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne, Billy Gilmour and Alex Meret long-term absentees.
David Neres made his comeback as a substitute midweek, but was visibly not fit after an ankle sprain and is not even on the bench today.
Antonio Vergara, a 23-year-old product of the Napoli youth academy, makes his first Serie A start for the club, preferred to Noa Lang.
Conte irritated by Napoli injury crisis
Although Conte is sitting out the second match in a two-game touchline ban for dissent, he still went to speak with the media before this evening’s fixture and was asked when some of the big players will return.
“You’d have to ask the medical staff when the others will be back, I am a coach and just have to deal with the players at my disposal. We don’t have information on Lukaku, while if Neres isn’t here, it means he’s not available,” shrugged Conte to DAZN Italia in a visibly irritated manner.
“We will have to see when De Bruyne returns to Italy and then when he can play. The same for Anguissa, we just have to wait and hope, we don’t have any news.”
Napoli are feeling the pressure after sliding four points off leaders Inter, having been held to three consecutive stalemates by Verona, Inter and Parma. What did Conte tell the players about those performances?
“I told the team we must try to win the game. I think Verona and Parma were different matches, against Verona we were 2-0 down and found the strength to react, coming close to all three points.
“With Parma, despite quite a few scoring opportunities, we were unable to convert them. When you get those chances, you have to take them, as they decide the result and those points become important over the course of a campaign.”
Inter have already played this afternoon, winning 1-0 away to Udinese, so does that add even more pressure onto Napoli’s shoulders?
“We’ve got to focus on ourselves and not look at what the other teams do. We must try to make the most of the resources that we have at our disposal, shift the balance where we can, and where we cannot change things, we just have to accept them,” concluded Conte.