Di Lorenzo and Olivera miss Porto trip, leaving Napoli without full-backs

Spinazzola and Favasuli were already out, so Allegri has three fit centre-backs for Wednesday's Champions League game at the Dragão.

by Gennaro SanninoMonday 2 November, 14:08 CET· yesterday

Allegri — Foto: calciomercato.com

Arena Napoli understands that Di Lorenzo and Olivera will not travel to Porto for the Champions League game at the Estádio do Dragão on Wednesday 4 November, 21:00 CET (20:00 UK, 15:00 ET). Spinazzola and Favasuli are already injured, so Napoli have no specialist full-back left for the competition.

The centre of defence is no better. Marianucci is not in the Champions League squad, and he is suspended for Lazio anyway after his red card in Turin. Badiashile has a rectus femoris tear and is expected back in December. That leaves Rafa Marín, Beukema and Rrahmani. Rrahmani is back from flu and came off the bench at the Allianz Stadium. In midfield, De Bruyne went off with fatigue and Lobotka is out for at least another month.

Napoli go to Porto 22nd in the Champions League table with 3 points. Porto have won all ten of their league games. Injuries are no longer an alibi. They are now a shortage of players. But the defence that conceded twice in Turin showed the same problems at Monza, and that is not only down to the treatment room: how the squad was built and Allegri's choices are still open questions. Allegri has to piece together a back line from what is left. Manna has to explain why, in early November, the squad cannot cope with two absences on the flanks.