The Brazilian may have suffered a tendon injury. As a result, he is now awaiting a new medical evaluation to determine whether surgery is necessary. If so, his absence would be quite lengthy

Adding insult to injury. David Neres continues to feel pain, and it’s likely that, in the relapse he suffered against Parma, the Brazilian playmaker sustained a tendon injury. For this reason, a new medical evaluation is now pending to determine whether surgery is necessary. And so there is a risk of another long layoff for one of Napoli’s key players, in a season plagued by serious injuries. If he undergoes surgery, Neres will be sidelined for about two months. 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 suffered an unnatural twist of the ankle caused by a divot on the field. David left the stadium on crutches, and the sprain also cost him the big match against Inter. On the 14th, in consultation with the medical staff, Conte had called up Neres for the comeback match against Parma. The player had said he was willing to play part of the game, and that’s exactly what happened. In the 14th minute of the second half, Neres was substituted after 32 minutes due to a flare-up of pain in his ankle. His rehabilitation has progressed slowly, with the pain never fully subsiding. That’s why surgery is now being considered to resolve the issue. The next medical consultation will determine the exact next steps. Napoli is on edge: another star faces a long layoff.