Napoli official line-ups for friendly test with Osasuna
Quick summary
Napoli has released their official starting eleven for a pre-season friendly against Osasuna, providing early indications of squad availability and Antonio Conte's tactical choices.
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Attributed to original sourceNapoli start Rasmus Hojlund, Giovane and Matteo Politano upfront in their first international friendly of the summer against Osasuna, but Scott McTominay is not even on the bench.
It kicks off in Castel di Sangro at 17.30 UK time (18.30 CEST).
The Partenopei have so far kept their pre-season matches low profile, losing 3-1 to Arezzo and beating Carrarese 2-0.
Osasuna just about managed to avoid relegation from LaLiga last season by finishing 17 th out of 20 teams.
Napoli preparing for new season 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) Some choices are limited for coach Max Allegri, who continues to test out a 4-3-3 formation.
This is because McTominay and Rafa Marin are not even on the bench, reportedly as a precaution following muscular twinges in training.
Romelu Lukaku has been given another few days off to remain in Belgium due to personal matters , in full agreement with the club.
VERONA, ITALY – FEBRUARY 28: Rasmus Hojlund of SSC Napoli celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Serie A match between Hellas Verona FC and SSC Napoli at Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi on February 28, 2026 in Verona, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images) Hojlund is flanked by Politano and Giovane, but Michael Folorunsho surprisingly starts in midfield, even though he is on the transfer market.
The next pre-season friendly matches for the Partenopei will be against Celta Vigo and Aris Salonika.
Napoli: Meret; Di Lorenzo, Marianucci, Rrahmani, Spinazzola; Anguissa, Lobotka, Folorunsho; Politano, Hojlund, Giovane
Napoli bench: Pugliese, Contini, Milikovic-Savic, Garofalo, Cheddira, Olivera, Baridò, Lucca, Vergara, Alisson Santos, Obaretin, Mazzocchi, Pereyra, Prisco, Lang
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What happened
Napoli has announced their official line-up for a friendly match against Osasuna, offering insight into Antonio Conte's preferred squad and tactical setup ahead of the competitive season. The friendly serves as an important test of fitness, form, and system integration for new and returning players. The line-up announcement reveals which players are available, who Conte considers his preferred starters, and potential positional battles ahead of Serie A kickoff.
Chance analysis
Pre-season line-up announcements from a top Serie A side like Napoli carry moderate analytical value, revealing Conte's tactical preferences and squad hierarchy early in the cycle. This is particularly significant given Conte's arrival and the expected tactical overhaul at Napoli. The friendly against La Liga opposition provides a competitive benchmark for assessing fitness levels and system implementation ahead of the new season.
Provides early signals on Conte's preferred XI and player availability for Napoli's upcoming competitive fixtures.
Monitor which players Conte selects as starters to gauge his tactical system and player hierarchy ahead of Serie A.