Napoli have announced that Slovakian midfielder Stanislav Lobotka, who was ruled out of the pitch during the first half of the 4‑1 win against Monza, has suffered a double injury. After the injury, the player went to the Pineta Grande Hospital for instrumental tests, which revealed a lesion of the tibio-fibular syndesmosis without instability and low-grade damage to the anterior peroneal-talar ligament (LPAA) of the left ankle. Lobotka has already started the rehabilitation process and will be monitored by the medical staff in the coming weeks.
Napoli published a medical note specifying that the injury to the tibio-fibular syndesmosis was diagnosed without instability, while the damage to the LPAA is low grade. The club underlined that the player has already started the rehabilitation process and that the recovery times are not yet defined. In the absence of a precise prognosis, the team will have to wait for the clinical evolution to establish a return date.
Injuries to the tibiofibular syndesmosis are usually treated conservatively, but recovery times may be longer than for a normal ankle sprain. According to general indications, a return to full activity could take between 4 and 8 weeks, with significant variability depending on severity, pain and response to rehabilitation. The concomitant low-grade injury of the LPAA must be evaluated in the context of the overall recovery, and only subsequent checks will allow the time window for return to the field to be narrowed.
At the moment Napoli have not provided details on Lobotka's calendar, but the club has reiterated that the rehabilitation process is already underway and that the player's health is the top priority. Fans will have to wait for further updates from the medical staff to find out when the midfielder will be able to return to compete with the Neapolitan team.