In a pivotal Serie A clash between the second and third-placed teams, Napoli faces a significant setback with Rasmus Hojlund’s absence. This leads to Giovane, Kevin De Bruyne, and Scott McTominay stepping into the starting XI. Meanwhile, AC Milan introduces a refreshed lineup featuring Niclas Füllkrug, Christopher Nkunku, and Luka Modric.
The highly anticipated match is scheduled to kick off at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona at 19:45 UK time (20:45 CEST) on April 6, 2026, for Matchday 31 of Serie A.
This fixture marks a critical juncture in the league campaign; a victory for either side would significantly boost their challenge against current leaders Inter Milan, with only seven rounds remaining in the season.
Napoli continues to contend with several key absences, including Romelu Lukaku, David Neres, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Amir Rrahmani, and Antonio Vergara. Notably, Lukaku remains excluded from the squad due to disciplinary action for declining an early return from international duty, preferring to continue his treatment in Belgium.
Adding to their woes, the team faced an unexpected setback today as Hojlund was sidelined with a stomach bug and fever, rendering him unfit even for a spot on the bench despite having started the previous 29 consecutive matches.
Manager Antonio Conte is finally able to field Kevin De Bruyne, Scott McTominay, and André-Frank Zambo Anguissa together in the starting eleven, following their recent injury recoveries. Their collective effort will be crucial in supporting Giovane, the makeshift center-forward who arrived from Verona in January.
Miguel Gutiérrez has been given the nod over Matteo Politano, who had a challenging performance for Italy during the World Cup play-offs. Napoli aims for a fifth consecutive Serie A win.
AC Milan faces its own set of challenges after a tough 3-2 victory against Torino. Rafael Leão is not yet at full fitness due to hip inflammation, and Christian Pulisic has returned fatigued following his international duties with the USMNT.
Considering these circumstances, manager Max Allegri deploys a fresh attacking duo in Niclas Füllkrug and Christopher Nkunku, neither of whom are fully accustomed to starting, especially not alongside each other.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek makes his return to the bench, his first appearance since sustaining facial fractures in a collision with the Parma goalkeeper back in February. This means Matteo Gabbia is now the only player completely sidelined due to injury.
Davide Bartesaghi gets the start over Pervis Estupiñán, with a midfield pairing of Luka Modric and Adrien Rabiot.
The two sides have previously clashed twice this season: Milan secured a 2-1 Serie A victory at San Siro in September, while Napoli triumphed 2-0 in the Supercoppa Italiana semi-final on December 12.
Official Lineups: Napoli vs. Milan
Napoli Starting XI:
- Goalkeeper: Vanja Milinković-Savić (#32)
- Defenders: Alessandro Buongiorno (#4), Juan Jesus (#5), Leonardo Spinazzola (#37), Mathías Olivera (#17), Miguel Gutiérrez (#3)
- Midfielders: Frank Anguissa (#99), Kevin De Bruyne (#11), Scott McTominay (#8), Stanislav Lobotka (#68)
- Attacker: Giovane (#23)
Milan Starting XI:
- Goalkeeper: Mike Maignan (#16)
- Defenders: Davide Bartesaghi (#33), Fikayo Tomori (#23), Koni De Winter (#5), Strahinja Pavlovic (#31)
- Midfielders: Adrien Rabiot (#12), Alexis Saelemaekers (#56), Luka Modric (#14), Youssouf Fofana (#19)
- Attackers: Christopher Nkunku (#18), Niclas Füllkrug (#9)
Substitutes
Napoli Substitutes:
- Goalkeepers: Alex Meret (#1), Nikita Contini (#14)
- Defenders: Pasquale Mazzocchi (#30), Sam Beukema (#31)
- Midfielders: Eljif Elmas (#20), Billy Gilmour (#6)
- Attackers: Matteo Politano (#21), Alisson Santos (#27)
Milan Substitutes:
- Goalkeepers: Pietro Terracciano (#1), Lorenzo Torriani (#96)
- Defenders: Pervis Estupiñán (#2), Zachary Athekame (#24), David Odogu (#27)
- Midfielders: Samuele Ricci (#4), Ruben Loftus-Cheek (#8), Ardon Jashari (#30)
- Attackers: Rafael Leão (#10), Christian Pulisic (#11), Santiago Giménez (#7)
