Napoli coach Antonio Conte evaluates options ahead of Cagliari following international break

Conte assesses squad after international fixtures

Napoli coach Antonio Conte is assessing his squad ahead of their Serie A clash with Cagliari following the international break.

The Partenopei have enjoyed a strong start to the season, winning four of their opening five league matches to sit top of the table.

However, Conte will be without a number of key players for the trip to Sardinia, including Kalidou Koulibaly, Fabian Ruiz and Hirving Lozano.

Squad depth to be tested

In Koulibaly's absence, Conte is likely to field Juan Jesus and Amir Rrahmani at centre-back, while Stanislav Lobotka and Tanguy Ndombele are set to start in midfield.

Up front, Victor Osimhen is expected to lead the line, with Matteo Politano and Giacomo Raspadori providing support.

Napoli will be confident of victory against Cagliari, who have lost three of their opening five league matches.

However, Conte will be wary of the threat posed by the Rossoblu, who have a number of dangerous players in their ranks, including Joao Pedro and Gaston Pereiro.

Conte confident in squad

Despite the absence of several key players, Conte is confident that his squad has the depth to cope.

"We have a strong squad and I am confident that we can get a result in Cagliari," Conte said.

"We have a number of players who can come in and do a job, and I am sure that they will be ready to step up."

Napoli will be looking to maintain their position at the top of the table when they face Cagliari on Sunday.