Scott McTominay left frustrated in Champions League shutout with Scotland teammate absent amid injury update
Napoli were shutout in their Champions League clash with Eintracht Frankfurt.
Scotland star Scott McTominay was left frustrated for the second game running as his Napoli side struggled to break down Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
Coming into the game on the back of a 0-0 draw with FC Como in the San Siro at the weekend, Antonio Conte’s side controlled 63% of the ball, but were left cursing their luck as they missed several good chances, with McTominay guilty of spurning a golden opportunity to break the deadlock late on.
With key attacking duo Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku missing due to injury, the goal burden was placed on the Scotland international midfielder, and he was the first to test Michael Zetterer in the opposition goal when he rose highest at the near post to plant a header at the goalkeeper, but he was unable to find a way through.
The 28-year-old talisman, who already has two goals in the Champions League for the Italians, was at the forefront of Napoli’s attacking work, but missed the game’s best chance in the 83rd minute when a strong run down the right-hand side from André-Frank Zambo Anguissa saw the Cameroonian lay the ball into the path of McTominay, but he could only blaze over with the goal gaping. The draw means the Serie A champions fall to 21st place in the Champions League table, with just one win from their opening four games.
Fellow international teammate Billy Gilmour was not part of the squad as he continues to nurse an injury that he picked up in the stalemate with FC Como at the weekend. Forced off during the first half of Napoli’s goalless draw, the 24-year-old was named in Steve Clarke’s squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Greece and Denmark earlier this week, despite reports from Italy indicating he had suffered a muscle injury.
Thankfully, it appears Gilmour’s absence could be a short-lived one, with the Napoli boss Conte giving a positive update on the former Brighton midfielder, who will hope to return for Sunday’s away clash against Bologna. “It wasn’t a muscle problem,” said Conte. “But inflammations in the pubic area. When you play every three days, fatigue changes everything. At the start of this season, we’ve played many matches in less-than-ideal conditions, and we’ve handled ourselves very well. I’ve been pointing out since the beginning of the year, such as the need for the new players to adapt.”
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