Manna: Napoli must not panic yet, McTominay out for at least six weeks
Quick summary
Napoli sporting director Giovanni Manna urges calm despite a difficult start to the season, while confirming Scott McTominay will be sidelined for at least six weeks with an injury.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceNapoli director Giovanni Manna urged them not to ‘panic’ yet even if they fail to get a result against Inter, and gives a clearer idea of when Scott McTominay will be back after heart surgery.
It kicks off at San Siro at 17.00 UK time (18.00 CEST).
You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from today’s three Serie A games on the Liveblog.
These teams were the top two in Serie A over the last couple of campaigns, splitting the Scudetto glory between them, yet Napoli are unbeaten against Inter since the Supercoppa Italiana in January 2024.
They emerged with one win and four draws in those meetings.
Manna on Napoli ambition and status NAPLES, ITALY – JULY 14: Andrea Chiavelli SSC Napoli AD, Giovanni Manna SSC Napoli sports director, Edoardo De Laurentiis SSC Napoli vice president, Massimiliano Allegri new SSC Napoli head coach and Aurelio De Laurentiis SSC Napoli President Massimiliano Allegri is presented as the new SSC Napoli head coach at Teatro di San Carlo on July 14, 2026 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images) “It was a Scudetto game more the first season than the last, as Inter dominated the most recent campaign, and we were dealing with a series of dynamics that didn’t allow us to challenge on the same level consistently with a very strong team,” Manna told DAZN Italia.
“We are only at the beginning, but the first half at Genoa was complicated and we played better as the game wore on. We decided to take a different approach to Como, then had two unfortunate errors.
“This squad needs to rediscover the determination and focus that stood it apart in recent years, and I am sure we will get there. This is a difficult place to play, so we mustn’t press the panic button just yet even if we don’t get a result here today.”
PARMA, ITALY – APRIL 12: Scott McTominay of Napoli SSC reacts during the Serie A match between Parma Calcio 1913 and SSC Napoli at Stadio Ennio Tardini on April 12, 2026 in Parma, Italy. (Photo by Emmanuele Ciancaglini/Getty Images) The Partenopei are coming off a painful 2-1 home defeat to Como, and after that lost Scott McTominay and Giovane for several weeks due to surgery.
The Scotland international needs a heart operation to correct a mild, benign arrhythmia , but is expected to be back next month.
“Scott is having an ablation surgery and also needs some blood-thinners afterwards, so that’s at least 28 days to resume training, and then at least another couple of weeks, so we hope to have him back in October,” explained Manna.
GENOA, ITALY – FEBRUARY 7: Scott McTominay of Napoli celebrates after scoring a goal during the Serie A match between Genoa CFC and SSC Napoli at Stadio Luigi Ferraris on February 7, 2026 in Genoa, Italy. (Photo by Simone Arveda/Getty Images) Are the Partenopei talking to McTominay about a contract extension too?
“We are talking about the contract, there are another two years left on the current deal. We want to do a new deal, so does he, we just need to get on the same page.”
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What happened
Napoli sporting director Giovanni Manna addressed the media ahead of the upcoming fixtures, calling for calm despite a stuttering start to the campaign. The key concern is the injury to Scott McTominay, who will be out for at least six weeks, a significant blow to Napoli's midfield. Manna expressed confidence in the squad's depth and the work of the coaching staff, insisting the team must not panic. The comments come as Napoli look to steady their season in Serie A and maintain competitiveness across multiple competitions.
Chance analysis
Napoli are navigating a delicate early-season stretch, and the loss of Scott McTominay for six weeks removes one of their most dynamic midfield presences. Manna's public message is a deliberate attempt to manage pressure — backing the squad publicly while acknowledging the injury setback. How Conte's side covers the gap in central midfield, where McTominay's box-to-box energy has been central to the game plan, will define their next several matches in Serie A and beyond.
Napoli lose a key midfielder for six weeks, weakening their central midfield during a critical stretch of the season.