Italian media send 'God save Scott McTominay' message as Antonio Conte addresses situation

Italian media have shared their thoughts on Napoli star Scott McTominay

Scott McTominay experienced a rollercoaster of emotions during Napoli's 3-2 victory over Genoa on Saturday. The former Manchester United star scored an impressive goal for the Serie A champions, only to be sidelined by an injury at half-time.

Napoli found themselves trailing after an early penalty but McTominay played a key role in levelling the score, with his shot rebounding for United loanee Rasmus Hojlund to tap home. The Scotland international then stole the show, scoring a spectacular long-range effort just two minutes later.

However, the 29-year-old was withdrawn at half-time due to an injury, much to the dismay of manager Antonio Conte. Genoa equalised before the hour mark, capitalising on a defensive mistake, and Napoli's grip on the game seemed to be slipping when Juan Jesus was shown a red card with just 15 minutes left on the clock.

In McTominay's absence, it was Hojlund who emerged as the hero, securing three points for his side with a last-minute penalty that slipped under the goalkeeper. After the match, Napoli's boss Conte gave an update on McTominay's injury.

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"Scott has been dealing with this problem since the beginning of the year," he said. "It's an inflammation of the tendons in the area between the gluteus maximus and the hamstrings. This discomfort forces him to play at a reduced pace.

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"He would have continued, but at the end of the first half I preferred to avoid any stupid risks. We're talking about a key player for us, I need him to be 100%. We hope to get him back as soon as possible."

Despite featuring for just 45 minutes, McTominay's impact proved crucial to a result that left Napoli six points adrift of Serie A leaders Inter Milan. Here's how the Italian press assessed the former United man's display.

Il Napolista

Praised for his involvement in Napoli's opening goal by "Prince Rasmus", McTominay received plaudits for "a magnificent moral brace". Il Napolista awarded the midfielder an eight out of 10.

His willingness to play through injury drew comparisons to Braveheart. Wishing McTominay a swift return to fitness, the summary of his performance ended with the line: "God save Scott McTominay."

Corriere dello Sport

The Italian publication handed McTominay an eight for his efforts while playing through discomfort. Corriere dello Sport summed up the midfielder's character: "When the going gets tough, he's always the toughest."

His strike was described as "beautiful" and his overall performance was "exceptional". The way he continued to "shoot, run and fight like hell" saw him labelled the "Rocky of football".

Il Messaggero

This Italian outlet acknowledged that McTominay's fitness issues affected his performance. Il Messaggero characterised the team's key midfielder as "not being at his best", though they praised his determination to continue.

Instead of highlighting his long-distance attempt, it was his contribution to Hojlund's equaliser that was noted as "a precise right-footed shot". He received a seven in the outlet's player ratings.

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