Emanuele Giaccherini could miss Serie A opener with thigh injury

One of Napoli’s more intriguing signings of the summer might not be available for their first match of the season, after Emanuele Giaccherini has been sidelined with an injury.

Giaccherini has been “not quite right” according to reports over the last week, and now we know why: a thigh injury similar to the one that’s been troubling Pepe Reina this summer is also slowing down Giaccherini. Initial reports had Giaccherini out for two weeks, which would have put his ability to play in Napoli’s Serie A opener against Pescara on August 21st in serious jeopardy.

His agent, however, suggests that the Italian international will only be out for ten days, which would put him back in training about the 15th, which might be enough time ahead of the opener to be available off the bench. But considering the fact that Giaccherini is still working his way back to full match fitness, it’s probably not worth risking aggravating the injury and risking him being out longer.

That’s especially true considering Giaccherini’s history with thigh injuries, missing almost two months with different thigh injuries last season at Bologna and being troubled by them several other times throughout his career. While Giaccherini is expected to play more of a supporting role for Napoli, it would still be better to actually have him healthy than risking a recurrence of something that’s been a problem for him in the past and not having him for a long stretch of the season.

Get well soon, Emanuele.