Napoli forward Lorenzo Lucca has been sidelined during pre-season preparations, the club confirmed, compounding a difficult start to the summer for the Partenopei under new head coach Massimiliano Allegri. The injury was announced alongside news of Alessandro Buongiorno's operation, leaving Allegri's squad short in multiple departments before competitive football has even begun.
For Lucca, the timing cuts into what should have been a critical window. At 25, the striker arrives at a crossroads: his 2025-26 season produced one goal in 16 Serie A appearances, an average rating of 6.60, and an AI assessment of 57 out of 100 — numbers that reflect a player with genuine potential (the model projects 68) but one who has not yet converted that ceiling into consistent output. Pre-season is precisely where a striker in his position builds the sharpness and tactical understanding that translates into early-season form. Missing that work is a setback he cannot easily recover on paper.
The broader context at Napoli does not simplify his situation. Allegri's reign began with a 3-1 defeat against Arezzo in a pre-season friendly, a result that exposed defensive fragility and prompted the club to identify centre-back reinforcements. Director Giovanni Manna acknowledged the Buongiorno injury caught the club off guard, and the squad's physical condition is clearly a live concern. When a new manager is still forming his first impressions, absences from training carry weight beyond the medical report.
Napoli finished the previous campaign second in Serie A with 73 points from 37 matches, a platform that demands the squad hit the ground running in 2025-26. Allegri will need his attacking options available and integrated from the first competitive fixture. Lucca, whose goal return last season was modest relative to his appearances, needed this pre-season more than most in the squad.
The question is not whether Lucca can contribute — his profile suggests he can — but whether he will have enough time on the training pitch to earn Allegri's trust before the season begins in earnest.