Double Injury Blows Disrupt Napoli and Bologna in Tight Serie A Clash
Sunday night in Italy’s Serie A brought a painful twist for two Scottish midfielders and their clubs’ league ambitions. At kickoff in Naples, the build-up had already served a sucker punch: Lewis Ferguson, seen as the engine of Bologna’s midfield, was forced out of the lineup just minutes before the game started, clutching his thigh after a grilling warm-up. At 25, Ferguson knows the rehab room all too well—he missed a significant chunk of the previous season with a cruel cruciate ligament injury. This time, tests confirmed a thigh strain, leaving him staring down another enforced break of at least three weeks.
Ferguson's sudden exit wasn't the only problem for Scottish fans. On the other side, Scott McTominay was finally back in Napoli’s starting eleven after shaking off illness, but his return ran out of steam by the 70th minute. Battling discomfort after a heavy challenge to his thigh and hip, the ex-Manchester United man signaled for the bench. Into the fray came another Scot, Billy Gilmour, as manager Antonio Conte hoped to salvage Napoli’s midfield structure. Gilmour, fresh but used mainly as a rotation option, couldn’t change the tide alone.
Napoli Lose Ground as Bologna Cling On
Ferguson's absence reshuffled Bologna's plans from the get-go. On the pitch, an upset was brewing as Napoli pressed to keep up with Inter Milan in the title race. Frank Anguissa drew first blood for the hosts but their celebrations were cut short when Dan Ndoye tucked home for Bologna to level the score. The 1-1 draw wasn’t just two points dropped for Napoli—it was a heavy blow, leaving them three points adrift of leaders Inter as the season’s end starts to loom.
Bologna, meanwhile, missed Ferguson’s usual bite in midfield, relying instead on depth and last-ditch defending to keep the game level. The injuries took all the attention in the end: Ferguson’s run of bad luck with leg issues sparks fresh worries for both club and national side, especially with a dense run of fixtures coming up.
For Napoli, McTominay’s setback adds to a growing list of headaches. Conte now has to reshuffle once again right when consistency matters most. The thigh and side knocks he took looked nasty, and with recovery timelines up in the air, Napoli’s already thin midfield may need to rely heavily on Gilmour and less experienced backups for the next few games.
These injury woes aren’t just club problems—they hit hard for Scotland too. Steve Clarke and his staff are hardly celebrating, with doubts swirling around Ferguson’s persistent muscle problems and McTominay’s risk of a longer layoff. Uncertainty clouds the midfield for both club battles and international duties just as crucial matches approach.
