The Brazilian may have suffered a tendon injury. He is now awaiting further medical consultation to determine whether surgery is necessary. If so, he would be out for quite some time.

Adding insult to injury, David Neres continues to feel pain and it is likely that, in the relapse he suffered against Parma, the Brazilian playmaker has suffered a tendon injury. For this reason, he is now awaiting a new medical consultation to determine whether surgery is necessary. There is therefore the risk of another long layoff for one of Napoli’s key players in a season plagued by serious injuries. If he does undergo surgery, Neres will be out for about two months. This is another blow for Conte, just as Lukaku and Anguissa are about to return.

THE PROBLEM—  Neres was injured in Rome on January 4, during Napoli’s victory at Lazio. He twisted his ankle unnaturally due to a hole in the pitch. David left the stadium on crutches, and the sprain also cost him the big match against Inter. On the 14th, in agreement with the medical staff, Conte called up Neres for the comeback against Parma. The player said he was available to play part of the game, and so he did. In the 14th minute of the second half, Neres came off after 32 minutes due to a flare-up of pain in his ankle. His rehabilitation has been slow, with the pain never going away. That is why surgery is now being considered to resolve the problem. The next consultation will determine exactly what the next steps will be. Napoli are anxious: another star risks a long layoff.