Napoli have Rasmus Hojlund back, but it looks as if Kevin De Bruyne has another new role for the trip to Francesco Farioli’s FC Porto, with ex-Milan strikers eager to prove a point.
It kicks off at the Estadio do Dragao in Porto at 20.00 GMT (21.00 CET).
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NAPLES, ITALY – OCTOBER 20: Scott McTominay of SSC Napoli looks on during the UEFA Champions League 2026/27 League Phase MD3 match between SSC Napoli and FK Bodo/Glimt at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on October 20, 2026 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)
The Partenopei finally registered their first European points in a chaotic 4-3 win over Bodo/Glimt, having previously lost to Arsenal and Villarreal.
That was followed by a 3-3 draw with Roma and 4-1 win away to Monza, until crumbling 2-0 at Juventus in Serie A on Sunday.
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There were fresh injuries in that match for Kevin De Bruyne, Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Mathias Olivera, with only the Belgian able to make the trip even though not fully fit.
NAPLES, ITALY – OCTOBER 20: Massimiliano Allegri, Manager of SSC Napoli, reacts during the UEFA Champions League 2026/27 League Phase MD3 match between SSC Napoli and FK Bodo/Glimt at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on October 20, 2026 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)
They join Stanislav Lobotka, Leonardo Spinazzola, Alisson Santos, Benoit Badiashile, Costantino Favasuli, David Neres and Alessandro Buongiorno on the absentee list, while Luca Marianucci is ineligible for the Champions League.
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Max Allegri only has 17 outfield players and three of them are promoted from the youth team, so he reshuffles to a 3-5-2 formation with Matteo Politano and Antonio Vergara needing to cover the whole wing.
Gilmour joins fellow Scotland international Scott McTominay in a decimated midfield.
The good news is that Hojlund is available after he missed the Juventus trip with flu symptoms, but it looks as if De Bruyne might be in a more advanced role as a support striker, after several weeks of being a deep-lying playmaker.
FLORENCE, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 20: Billy Gilmour of SSC Napoli celebrates after scoring a goal during the Serie A match between ACF Fiorentina and SSC Napoli at Stadio Artemio Franchi on September 20, 2026 in Florence, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)
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FC Porto are coached by Italian Farioli, but if Napoli have stuttered in the Champions League, then the Portuguese giants did even worse, losing all three games so far.
They are top of the table domestically and five points clear of Benfica, but in Europe they lost to Manchester City, Real Betis and PSV Eindhoven, scoring two goals and conceding six.
Vasco Sousa, William Gomes and former Roma defender Chris Smalling are out injured, while Oskar Pietuszewski would be given a late fitness test after missing the last three matches with a muscular problem.
There are some familiar faces to Serie A, including ex-Spezia and Arsenal defender Jakub Kiwior, but above all former Milan flops Andre Silva and Santiago Gimenez.
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These teams met in the Europa League Round of 16 in March 2014, with Napoli losing 1-0 away and drawing 2-2 at home.
PORTO, PORTUGAL – APRIL 09: Francesco Farioli, Head Coach of FC Porto, gestures during the UEFA Europa League 2025/26 Quarter-Final Leg One match between FC Porto and Nottingham Forest FC at Estadio do Dragao on April 09, 2026 in Porto, Portugal. (Photo by Octavio Passos/Getty Images)
Porto vs. Napoli line-ups
FC Porto: Diogo Costa; Martim Fernandes, Bednarek, Kiwior, Alberto Costa; Gabriel Veiga, Pablo Rosario, Froholdt; Borja Sainz, Andre Silva, Pepê
Napoli: Meret; Beukema, Rrahmani, Rafa Marin; Politano, Anguissa, Gilmour, McTominay, Vergara; De Bruyne, Hojlund
Ref: Oliver (ENG)
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
