Anguissa suffers fresh injury setback days after rejoining training

The Cameroon midfielder has strained his right adductor again just after returning to group work, and the numbers from Napoli's title seasons show how much his fitness matters.

by Gennaro SanninoFriday 25 September, 18:41 CET· 2 hours ago

André-Frank Anguissa — Foto: Дмитрий Садовник · CC BY-SA 3.0

Frank Anguissa has been sidelined again with a low-grade muscle strain to the right thigh adductor, and the record makes the setback sting more than the injury itself. In 2022-23, the season of Napoli's third title, Zambo missed just 2 games and 14 days in total. In 2024-25, the fourth title under Antonio Conte, his days out rose to 20 but he still missed only 2 matches. In both title-winning seasons, he was almost always on the pitch.

The other seasons tell a different story. In 2023-24, when Napoli finished tenth under three different coaches, Anguissa missed 5 games and 39 days. In 2021-22 he was out for 8 games, more than 40 days. Last season, which ended with Napoli as runners-up, was the worst of all: 120 days out between a series of injuries and a back problem, and 24 matches watched from the stands.

This season Anguissa has already missed Arsenal, Bologna and effectively Fiorentina too. He had just rejoined the group, quieting supporters' concerns about his fitness and his contract situation ahead of its expiry, when the new injury struck. The club still hopes to have him back for the October restart, with Frosinone due at the Maradona on 10 October. A midfield missing him on and off, sitting ninth with 7 points, is not a detail to brush aside.