Napoli fear Lobotka has a broken fibula and faces at least six weeks out

Napoli fear Stanislav Lobotka has broken his fibula. If so, he will be out for six weeks even in the best case.

The number 68 went down after 17 minutes at Monza on Tuesday evening, with Napoli 1-0 up through Højlund's goal on 10 minutes. He was stretchered off in tears and left the stadium on crutches. Gilmour replaced him.

Napoli went on to win 4-1, with Politano, Marín and De Bruyne scoring after the break. By then, though, the real story of the night was already Lobotka. Marco Landucci hinted as much after the game.

"We fear we have lost him for a while."

Six weeks is a big part of the season

Six weeks from Thursday would cover, among other games, Juventus at the Allianz Stadium on Sunday 1 November at 20:45 CET (19:45 UK, 14:45 ET), Porto at the Dragão in the Champions League on Wednesday 4 November, and Lazio at the Maradona on 8 November, the day Allegri returns to the dugout.

Napoli are 22nd in the Champions League table with 3 points, so there is no room for error in Porto. In Serie A they have 14 points, six behind fourth-placed Como. Fourth is the club's stated target for the season. Without the first-choice holding midfielder, and with those numbers, there is no margin.

We have already looked at the options in that role, so one line will do: the first is Gilmour, who came on cold at Monza.

The bigger issue now is communication. Napoli have issued a diagnosis without a date, and since Tuesday night the mood inside the club has been easier to read in Landucci's words than in the medical update. Caution is understandable. But a fracture would change the plans for two months, and the fanbase has the right to know quickly.

An already crowded treatment room

Then there is the question many supporters are asking. Lobotka joins a long injury list. Neres has a tear in his right semimembranosus and will miss Juventus and Porto. Badiashile has a tear in his right rectus femoris and Spinazzola one in his right biceps femoris. Buongiorno has had surgery on his meniscus and is expected back in January. Favasuli and Alisson Santos are due to return at the end of November.

The transfer window closed on 1 September and reopens on 2 January. Until then, only free agents can be signed. Whoever built this squad is answerable for its depth in a position like holding midfield, and Lobotka's injury tests exactly that depth.

The 4-1 win at Monza made it three games unbeaten and had restored some confidence. How much Lobotka's ankle will cost Napoli depends on the official results of the scans. In the meantime, Turin is three days away, and there Landucci will have to decide who plays in front of the defence.