Napoli need McTominay now more than ever against Juventus in Serie A

Scott McTominay has been the poster boy of Napoli’s domestic success over the last 18 months, but the Partenopei need their talismanic midfielder to step up now more than ever when they take on Juventus in Serie A on Sunday evening. 

The former Manchester United midfielder has gone from strength to strength after swapping Old Trafford for the Stadio Maradona in a €30.5m deal last summer, helping Napoli to their Serie A title in his first season and claiming the league’s MVP award in the process. 

The Scotland international has chipped in with another five goals and two assists across all competitions so far this season as the Partenopei sit in second place in Serie A after 13 matches, level on points with Milan in first. 

Napoli will need McTominay to step up now more than ever, though, as they take on Juventus in another massively important game in the early Serie A title race. 

Juventus are currently seventh in the table, five points shy of Napoli, but are unbeaten over their last eight matches across all competitions, and have won all of their last three. 

Napoli, meanwhile, are in the midst of a midfield injury crisis, and will be without four key first-team options in Kevin De Bruyne, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, Billy Gilmour, and now Stanislav Lobotka as well. 

De Bruyne and Anguissa are both out long-term with high-grade lesions in their thighs: Both are expected to return in 2026. Gilmour has recently had surgery on a sports hernia issue and is also expected to be out of action until the new year. Lobotka, meanwhile, has an injury to his tibial muscles, and is expected to miss Sunday’s game against Juventus. 

This means that McTominay is the only remaining ‘first-choice’ midfield option for Conte on Sunday. It is expected that he will be joined by Eljif Elmas in central midfield, with the lesser-seen Giuseppe Ambrosino ready to step in as a substitute.