Antonio Conte vents over Napoli’s mounting injury problems after a dramatic 3-2 win at Genoa, explaining Scott McTominay’s setback.
Antonio Conte described Napoli’s injury situation as “absurd” after his side battled to a dramatic 3-2 victory over Genoa, despite playing much of the match with 10 men. The Napoli coach praised his players’ resilience and heart after a chaotic night at Marassi that tested the squad’s limits yet again.
The match began in nightmare fashion for the Partenopei, conceding a penalty inside the opening 15 seconds. Napoli responded well, with goals from Rasmus Højlund and Scott McTominay turning the game around, but the momentum was quickly halted when McTominay was forced off with an injury concern.
🏴🤯 Scott McTominay (29) with a stunner for Napoli! 🚀
— CentreGoals. (@centregoals) February 8, 2026
Conte explained that the Scotland international has been managing a recurring tendon issue since the start of the year. While McTominay could have continued, the coach refused to take what he described as “stupid risks,” insisting he would rather have the midfielder fully fit than push him through pain.
Napoli’s problems deepened when a second defensive mistake from Alessandro Buongiorno allowed Genoa to equalise, before Juan Jesus was sent off. Reduced to 10 men, Napoli still found the strength to push forward and snatch a stoppage-time winner, with Højlund converting a penalty earned by Antonio Vergara.
⏹️ Full time#GenoaNapoli 2-3 💙💙💙💙💙
— Official SSC Napoli (@en_sscnapoli) February 7, 2026
Conte admitted the performance was far from perfect, conceding that Napoli gifted Genoa two goals. However, he was proud of the team’s response, highlighting their ability to keep fighting despite setbacks, injuries, suspensions, and the absence of key figures like Giovanni Di Lorenzo.
Reflecting on the wider picture, Conte labelled the season one of the most difficult of his managerial career. He pointed to Napoli’s small squad, injury struggles for players such as Anguissa, Gilmour, De Bruyne, Lukaku, and Di Lorenzo, and the lack of depth to turn to from the youth system.
Looking ahead, Napoli now face Roma without the suspended Juan Jesus and with McTominay’s condition still uncertain. Conte concluded by praising the commitment of his players and stressing that the focus now is on recovery and preparation for the Coppa Italia clash with Como, even as the injury crisis continues to loom large.
