Napoli Doctor On How Many More Games David Neres Could Miss After Injury Setback
David Neres has gone back to individual training work after a setback in his ankle injury recovery.
Giuseppe Labellarte
Updated on 19 January 2026
Napoli doctor Raffaele Canonico has given an update on winger David Neres after a fresh injury setback.
Neres has been trying to return after an ankle problem, but he felt discomfort again during his recovery work.
Speaking on Radio CRC, Canonico said Napoli will not rush the Brazilian back, as the priority is avoiding a longer lay-off.
Napoli are already stretched by injuries, and the timing is unfortunate with big matches on the horizon in Serie A and Europe.
David Neres injury setback forces fresh Napoli caution
Raffaele Canonico confirmed David Neres is set to miss the Serie A trip to Juventus on Sunday, January 25.
The doctor also suggested Neres is likely to be unavailable for the Champions League game against Chelsea on Wednesday, January 28.
“We don’t even have three full days to recover between games,” Canonico said, via Tuttomercatoweb.
“That leaves us with only one proper day to prepare for the next match, while the players are still trying to get their bodies back to normal.
“Neres picked up a sprained ankle after twisting his foot awkwardly. Day by day, his recovery had been going well.
“But when we increased the workload, he was still in pain. That’s why he didn’t travel to Copenhagen, and we had to ease off a little.
“He has gone back to individual rehab work and we are taking things carefully.
“We’ll see about Turin. Chelsea is a possibility, but it will be difficult.
“The most important thing now is not to force it or take unnecessary risks.”
When David Neres could potentially return for Napoli
After news broke of David Neres’ injury layoff, reports claimed he would ‘try to recover’ against Inter at San Siro on Sunday, January 11.
That prediction proved to be completely wide of the mark, with the Brazilian now potentially out until the end of January or beyond.
As things stand, Neres risks missing a further three games for Napoli.
He won’t be involved against Copenhagen in the Champions League, while both Juventus and Chelsea are touch and go.
After the European meeting with Chelsea, Napoli return to Serie A action against Fiorentina on Saturday, January 31.
Obviously if all goes well there’s a chance that he could be back against Juve this weekend.
However, judging by Canonico’s comments, he doesn’t seem overly optimistic.
On a brighter note, Romelu Lukaku has recovered for the Copenhagen clash.
Giuseppe Labellarte
Giuseppe Labellarte is a sports journalist with over a decade of professional experience in the industry. His main professional expertise is in soccer. Prior to joining FootItalia, he worked for the likes of Sports Mole, TBR Football, the Chelsea Chronicle and numerous other sites, along with having bylines in the likes of the Nottingham Post. He holds degrees in Journalism and International Relations.
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