Napoli without McTominay and five other key first team stars ahead of Arsenal clash
Quick summary
Napoli will be without Scott McTominay and five other key first-team players for their upcoming match against Arsenal in the Champions League.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceNapoli will have to do without Scott McTominay for their first Champions League match of the 2026-27 season at home against Arsenal on Wednesday evening, but according to the latest updates on Tuesday morning, Massimiliano Allegri has two new issues to deal with.
Napoli add Anguissa and Neres to list of injury concerns ahead of Arsenal Napoli’s 2026-27 Champions League campaign gets underway with a visit from Arsenal on Wednesday evening, but there will be no McTominay against the reigning Premier League champions, as he is expected to have a minor procedure carried out on his heart on Tuesday.
NAPLES, ITALY – AUGUST 30: Scott McTominay of Napoli is challenged by Lucas Da Cunha of Como during the Serie A match between SSC Napoli and Como 1907 at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on August 30, 2026 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images) The Partenopei have also been without Italy international centre-back Alessandro Buongiorno for the start of the 2026-27 season and he will also not be able to feature against Arsenal on Wednesday. Luca Marianucci and Giovane are also out longer term.
According to the latest updates on Tuesday, Allegri has two new injury concerns to contend with ahead of the visit from Arsenal, as neither Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa nor David Neres participated in training with the rest of the first-team group this morning.
This means that both are now extremely unlikely to be included in the starting line-up to face Arsenal on Wednesday if they are even able to feature at all.
NAPLES, ITALY – OCTOBER 25: Frank Zambo Anguissa of SSC Napoli celebrates after scoring his side third goal during the Serie A match between SSC Napoli and FC Internazionale at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on October 25, 2025 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images) Neres has featured off the bench in both of Napoli’s most recent Serie A matches, both of which ended in defeats against Como and Inter.
Anguissa is the bigger concern given that he has started in all three of Napoli’s league matches so far this season and is a mainstay in the Partenopei midfield when fit and available.
MILAN, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 05: Massimiliano Allegri, Manager of Napoli, reacts during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and SSC Napoli at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on September 05, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images) With no McTominay and likely no Anguissa either, Allegri will be increasingly reliant on Stanislav Lobotka in the centre of midfield. It is also likely that Kevin De Bruyne is brought into the side for his first start of the 2026-27 season against Arsenal on Wednesday. Billy Gilmour and Antonio Vergara are the most likely candidates to complete the midfield three.
Read more: Eight Italy hopefuls to keep an eye on in Tuesday’s Champions League matches
Source attribution: this article content is based on the linked publisher feed/source. Chance adds independent soccer context, impact analysis, entity links, and related news.
What happened
Napoli face a significant selection crisis ahead of their Champions League meeting with Arsenal, with midfielder Scott McTominay among six first-team players unavailable. The absences represent a major blow to Napoli's squad depth as they prepare to take on one of Europe's strongest sides. The article details which players are ruled out and the potential tactical adjustments Antonio Conte may need to make. Arsenal, by contrast, appear to have a fuller squad available for the fixture.
Chance analysis
Napoli's mounting injury list threatens to derail their Champions League campaign before it truly begins. Losing a player of McTominay's influence in midfield disrupts the balance Conte has worked to build, and with five additional absentees the Italian side's options are stretched thin. Arsenal will fancy their chances of exploiting a depleted opponent, but Conte's tactical reputation means Napoli cannot be written off even in adversity. The depth of these absences could shape the outcome of the tie and test Napoli's squad resilience in European competition.
Napoli's depleted squad is a clear negative for their chances against Arsenal, weakening both midfield and overall depth.