Serie A champions Napoli begin their title defence without their top scorer from last season after Romelu Lukaku's injury, but manager Antonio Conte said on Friday that his players could handle anything and would not be looking for excuses.

Lukaku suffered a serious thigh injury in a pre-season friendly, and Napoli could be without the Belgian striker for several weeks, if not months, but Conte is used to overcoming adversity.

Last season, having seen Victor Osimhen leave at the beginning of the campaign, Napoli then sold Georgian playmaker Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to Paris St Germain in January. Conte carried on regardless, and landed the Scudetto.

"It's an important injury for a player who had a specific value. He had it last year in the Scudetto win, but we know very well that these sit

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