The two Napoli players had to leave the match against Sassuolo early. They’ll undergo tests on Monday

Nearly an entire team is out at the first crucial juncture of the season. The crisis at Napoli continues and is worsening game after game. No Champions League for Politano and Rrahmani, as was already clear last night. But pending tomorrow’s medical tests, the outlook is very bleak even for the Juventus match, where there remains hope of at least bringing Neres and Anguissa back into the squad. Meanwhile, Conte is taking stock of the absentees and finds himself short-handed for the Copenhagen match.

Stellini’s comments—  Stellini’s remarks immediately after the match had already served as a wake-up call: “We’re unlikely to get the long-term injured players back anytime soon; we need new players to restore our rotation.” But the transfer market is at a standstill, and for Tuesday’s match, Conte won’t even be able to count on Mazzocchi and Marianucci, who have been excluded from the Champions League roster. So the list of unavailable players keeps growing, until it amounts to an entire team: Meret, Anguissa, Gilmour, De Bruyne, Rrahmani, Neres, Lukaku, Politano, Mazzocchi, and Marianucci. Ten potential starters who’ll be cheering from in front of the TV. For a European campaign that already seems like a feat bordering on the impossible.