Star Napoli Defender Most Likely Done for the Season | OneFootball

Barring a surprisingly quick recovery, Napoli won’t have Alessandro Buongiorno in the last four matches. The center-back returned from a two-game absence against Torino, as he was dealing with thigh tendinopathy, but bowed out in the second half.

He has been diagnosed with a right adductor longus strain, which will need about a month to heal, Sky informs. The Azzurri feared to have also lost Frank Anguissa, who picked up a hip contusion in the same game. However, the tests came back clean. He’ll likely be ready for the upcoming Genoa tilt.

Napoli won the Buongiorno sweepstakes last summer, fending off Juventus and especially Inter, paying €35M to sign him from Torino after a pair of spectacular seasons. While he’s been rock-solid when available, he has featured in just 23 matches. Before battling thigh issues, he sat out nearly two months due to a transverse fracture in his back in the winter.

Antonio Conte has a couple of options to substitute for him down the stretch. His usual deputy, Juan Jesus, is on the mend with a similar injury. The coach was ready to use Mathias Olivera in the middle of the defense against Torino. Then, Giacomo Raspadori fell ill, Leonardo Spinazzola had to be deployed as a winger, and the star center-back was fit enough to start. The fallback option is Rafa Marin, who has been underwhelming.

Our Take on Napoli and Buongiorno

Their success has swept a few things under the rug, but this acquisition hasn’t gone as brilliantly as expected, given how much they shelled out and his previous level and durability. It’s remarkable that they have been so airtight defensively anyway.