Napoli’s quest for the Scudetto has been dealt a severe setback as their star player Khvicha Kvaratskhelia sustained a knee injury during Sunday’s match against Lazio at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. The loss not only cost Antonio Conte’s side the game and their top spot in Serie A but also their most influential player for the foreseeable future.
The club’s official website released a statement detailing the extent of Kvaratskhelia’s injury: “During Sunday’s match against Lazio, following a collision, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia suffered a distortion trauma to his right knee. Today, the Azzurri player underwent instrumental examinations at Pineta Grande Hospital, which revealed a low-grade lesion of the medial collateral ligament. Kvaratskhelia has already begun the rehabilitation process.”
The Georgian international has been diagnosed with a first-degree ligament tear and will not require surgery. However, he is expected to be sidelined for at least a month. This absence means Kvaratskhelia is likely to miss at least five Serie A matches: away fixtures against Udinese (December 14), Genoa (December 21), and Fiorentina (January 4, 2025), as well as home games against Venezia (December 29) and Hellas Verona (January 12).
Napoli’s medical staff are hopeful that their key player might return for the challenging away match against Atalanta at the Gewiss Stadium on January 19, 2025. This game marks the beginning of a crucial period for Conte’s team, with subsequent fixtures against Juventus and Roma.
