Romelu Lukaku will miss Napoli’s opening match of their Serie A title defence after suffering a serious thigh injury, the club confirmed on Monday.
The Belgian striker sustained the injury during a pre-season friendly against Olympiakos on Thursday. Napoli described it as a “serious” tear in his left thigh and indicated that surgery may be required.
While the club did not provide a recovery timeline, Italian media reports suggest Lukaku, 32, could be sidelined until November.
Lukaku played a crucial role in Napoli’s title-winning campaign last season, scoring 14 goals and providing 10 assists under manager Antonio Conte.
Napoli begin their season away to newly promoted Sassuolo on Saturday.