Key Takeaways:
- Romelu Lukaku was omitted from Napoli’s Champions League squad after sustaining a serious injury during their final preseason friendly
- Bologna chose not to register Ciro Immobile for the Europa League group stage owing to his current injury, which is expected to keep him sidelined for approximately two months
- New signing Rasmus Højlund takes Lukaku’s place in Napoli’s European squad, whilst Atalanta have included Ademola Lookman despite his recent lack of match fitness
Napoli Finalise European Squad Without Lukaku
Napoli have confirmed that Romelu Lukaku, their leading scorer, will be unavailable for selection during the main stage of the Champions League. The Italian champions published their official list of registered players for the competition, and the Belgian striker is absent after sustaining a significant injury in the club’s final preseason fixture. Medical estimates indicate Lukaku will be out for roughly three months, prompting Napoli to leave him out of their squad, even though early predictions suggested he could return for the closing group matches in January.
Napoli have named their squad for the 2025-26 Champions League, with Romelu Lukaku absent due to his injury.
Antonio Conte's side have also chosen to leave out new signing Luca Marianucci and wing-back Pasquale Mazzocchi. pic.twitter.com/MTdJHxnnaF
— Football Italia (@footballitalia) September 2, 2025
To compensate for Lukaku’s absence, Napoli have registered Rasmus Højlund, a recent acquisition from Manchester United, specifically signed to provide cover in the attacking line. In addition, new defender Luca Marianucci and wing-back Pasquale Mazzocchi were not included in the Champions League squad.
Bologna and Atalanta: Contrasting Squad Decisions
Ciro Immobile is another high-profile striker who will sit out this autumn’s European fixtures, as Bologna have opted not to list him in their Europa League squad. Immobile is currently nursing an injury but is projected to recover in about two months’ time. Despite UEFA regulations permitting 25 registered players, Bologna have named only 23 in their squad for this stage of the competition.
In contrast, Atalanta have confirmed striker Ademola Lookman among their Champions League squad members. Although Lookman had previously refused to train and currently lacks match fitness, he remains part of the European campaign.
Overview of Italian Clubs’ UEFA Tournament Selections
Elsewhere, there are no unexpected omissions from the Champions League and Europa League squad lists for other Italian teams participating in UEFA tournaments, including Inter, Juventus, Roma, and Fiorentina.
