Kevin De Bruyne has been ruled out of Napoli's crucial Serie A clash against Bologna after suffering a facial injury during training. The Belgian midfielder required stitches following a collision with a teammate and did not even make the bench for Monday's penultimate-season fixture at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
Antonio Conte confirmed the extent of the injury in his pre-match briefing, explaining that De Bruyne's cheekbone was split open in the accidental head-to-head contact. "In training he had a head-to-head collision, and he opened up his cheekbone. They gave him four stitches; he had tests. There is no head trauma, but he is not playing," the Napoli manager said. Medical staff cleared the playmaker of brain injury following immediate assessment, but his availability remained too uncertain for Monday's fixture.
Di Lorenzo Returns as Conte Aims for Defensive Stability
The setback for De Bruyne comes at a critical stage of the campaign, with Napoli sitting second in Serie A but trailing Inter Milan by 15 points. However, Conte received positive news with the return of captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo to the starting lineup after a 15-day absence. The defender's reinstatement bolstered the backline and provided leadership continuity for a squad chasing third place ahead of the final matches.
De Bruyne has endured a frustrating season on the injury front, having previously missed 129 days due to a hamstring strain last October. The former Manchester City star has appeared in 19 matches across all competitions this term, contributing five goals and three assists. His absence removes a creative force from midfield as Napoli battle for a top-three finish against Bologna and prepare for their campaign finale.
With two matches remaining, Napoli's top-four hopes rest on securing maximum points while monitoring De Bruyne's recovery for any late-season involvement in their final push.
