Napoli’s Giovane expressed his profound surprise this morning upon discovering he would likely be forced to start in an unfamiliar attacking role against AC Milan, following a last-minute illness that sidelined Rasmus Hojlund.
This pivotal encounter was a Scudetto showdown, set to determine which team would enter the final seven rounds of the league as a genuine challenger to current leaders Inter.
The situation was particularly challenging for the Partenopei, who faced Hojlund’s absence due to a stomach bug just hours before kick-off. The team was already grappling with a lengthy injury list, including key players such as Romelu Lukaku, David Neres, Antonio Vergara, Amir Rrahmani, and Giovanni Di Lorenzo.
While Giovane initially filled the makeshift centre-forward position, it was Politano who ultimately came off the bench to capitalize on a poor header from Koni De Winter, scoring the winning goal.
No Time to Prepare for Unexpected Role
Although initial reports of Hojlund’s ill health began to circulate in the afternoon, Napoli themselves only became aware of the full extent of the issue shortly before the match.
“When I arrived at the camp this morning, I couldn’t see Hojlund, because he wasn’t well,” Giovane recounted to DAZN Italia. “Everyone started telling me I ought to get ready, because I might have to play.”
He openly admitted, “I am a young guy, I know that I need to improve and learn, and this is a role I have played only a few times. I am happy it went well; I really needed a performance like this against a great team like Milan.”
Giovane joined Napoli in January from Hellas Verona, and typically operates as a winger rather than a central striker.
“I had only played there at youth level, but I was ready to help the team,” he explained. “The coach told me to do the counter-movements in the second half, and it did go better.”
Having arrived only a few months prior, the Brazilian has yet to fully immerse himself in the joys of living in Naples.
“I am rather reserved and don’t really like going out much,” he confessed. “Juan Jesus tells me I am a weird Brazilian. What I’ve seen of the city is beautiful; it reminds me of Brazil, so I hope to see more of it.”