Manna: ‘Napoli not happy with Lukaku, but faith in Giovane’

Napoli director Giovanni Manna explains Romelu Lukaku will face ‘consequences’ for his refusal to return from Belgium, but has faith in Giovane in tonight’s big match with Milan .

It kicks off at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona at 19.45 UK time (20.45 CEST).

NAPLES, ITALY – DECEMBER 07: Rasmus Hojlund of SSC Napoli celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the Serie A match between SSC Napoli and Juventus FC at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on December 07, 2025 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from today’s four Serie A games on the Liveblog.

Whoever wins will be in a position to challenge leaders Inter going into the final seven rounds of the season, as only one point separates Napoli in third from Milan in second going into this clash.

“It is an important match, we want to give a sense of consistency to our positive period of form, and certainly want to consolidate our position in front of our fans,” Manna told DAZN Italia.

“These are two strong teams, they are well-drilled, close together in the table. It is going to be a long and tough match.”

There was a surprising twist in the build-up to this match, because reports emerged this afternoon that Rasmus Hojlund was struggling with a stomach bug, and he is not even fit for the bench.

Lukaku, David Neres, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Amir Rrahmani and Antonio Vergara are also still out of action, though Kevin De Bruyne, Scott McTominay and Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa seem to be getting back to full fitness after long lay-offs, so Giovane is the makeshift centre-forward.

NAPLES, ITALY – FEBRUARY 10: Nico Paz of Como 1907 battles for possession with Giovane of SSC Napoli during the Coppa Italia match between SSC Napoli and Como 1907 at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on February 10, 2026 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)

“We signed Giovane because we needed an attacking player. Centre-forward isn’t his best role, but he can play there, he is humble, professional, works hard, and that tends to pay off.

“He earned this opportunity, the coach had no doubts, so we have full faith in him.”

Lukaku faces disciplinary action after he refused to return from international duty , preferring to seek treatment in Belgium rather than with the Napoli medical staff.

VERONA, ITALY – FEBRUARY 28: Romelu Lukaku of SSC Napoli and Unai Núñez of Hellas Verona during the Serie A match between Hellas Verona FC and SSC Napoli at Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi on February 28, 2026 in Verona, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)

“The situation is very clear to me. Romelu went to Belgium for international duty, he had a small injury setback and preferred to remain there to train, against what we had asked. Nobody would’ve stopped him from working with his doctors, but we had wanted to talk it over in Naples, and it didn’t happen. We are not happy about that.

“The integrity, respect and value of the group is above all else. Talking about this now is superfluous, because Romelu is not here, he is working in Belgium, I think and hope he will return in a week’s time.

“He knows there will be consequences, but we keep going, Giovane plays today, and so we are happy about that.”

Milan won when these teams met at San Siro in September, but Napoli replied with a 2-0 victory in the Supercoppa Italiana semi-final in December.

“We expanded the squad precisely for these issues, and if we hadn’t done that, then we wouldn’t be there competing for our main target, which is a Champions League spot,” added Manna.

“We always fought this season to deal with injuries, but we are here, we want to give more joy to our fans this evening.”