Key Takeaways:
- Napoli activated a special Champions League rule to swap the injured Kevin De Bruyne with Romelu Lukaku, as reported by Italian media
- Lukaku, who had missed registration due to a muscle injury, is now eligible for matches against Copenhagen and Chelsea in January
- Lukaku will not feature in today’s away fixture against Benfica, having only resumed first-team training yesterday
Squad Adjustment for Champions League Campaign
Napoli have made a late change to their UEFA Champions League roster following an injury crisis impacting two of their Belgian internationals. Kevin De Bruyne, sidelined with a long-term issue, has been withdrawn from the list submitted by the Partenopei, making way for striker Romelu Lukaku, according to reports from Italian media outlets.
Lukaku was initially omitted from European competition due to a severe muscle injury, with De Bruyne also succumbing to a significant knock subsequently. However, Napoli have invoked a UEFA exemption allowing the replacement of a player ruled out for more than 60 days, a situation that applies to De Bruyne’s latest setback.
🇧🇪Romelu Lukaku is reinstated in #Napoli’s UCL squad list. pic.twitter.com/JxL8wk7Crf
— Napoli Zone (@TheNapoliZone) December 10, 2025
Lukaku’s Return and Match Availability
With this change, Antonio Conte is set to have Lukaku at his disposal for crucial Champions League fixtures against Copenhagen and Chelsea in January. For today’s away match against Benfica, however, the forward remains unavailable as he participated in his first training session with the squad only yesterday, following an absence since 14 August.
| Player Out | Player In | Reason for Change | Eligible Matches |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kevin De Bruyne | Romelu Lukaku | Long-term injury (absent >60 days) | Copenhagen (January), Chelsea (January) |
