Marek Hamšík out of Borussia Dortmund match
Napoli playmaker Marek Hamšík has been ruled out of his side’s crucial Champions League match against Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday.
Napoli could hardly have had a worse Saturday. Not only did they lose 1-0 to Parma, but saw their star player Marek Hamšík limp off with a foot injury -- just ten minutes after coming off the bench. Unfortunately that injury is severe enough to rule him out of their crucial Champions League clash against Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday, with the Slovak omitted from Rafael Benítez's matchday squad.
Given how tight things are in Group F, Napoli couldn't have been given worse news. Hamšík has been their best player -- and quite possibly the best player in Italy altogether -- over the last couple of seasons, and the partenopei's alarmingly impotent performance against Parma was indicative of how much he's missed when absent. Especially when his replacement is Goran Pandev.
Napoli are currently sitting in the second in their Champions League group; a nervy three points ahead of Dortmund, and level on points with leaders Arsenal. Tension!
