Napoli message to Kvaratskhelia after injury sparks social media confusion

BUDAPEST, HUNGARY - MAY 30: Khvicha Kvaratskhelia of Paris Saint-Germain runs with the ball during the UEFA Champions League Final 2026 match between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal FC at Puskas Arena on May 30, 2026 in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

Napoli’s social media message about Khvicha Kvaratskhelia following his injury caused confusion due to a misunderstanding caused by auto-translation.

Napoli sent a social media message to their ex-star Kvaratskhelia after the Georgian international suffered a cruciate ligament injury during a Champions League match against Barcelona on Tuesday.

Napoli wrote on their Italian X account: “In bocca al lupo Khvicha, ti aspettiamo presto in campo,” which basically translates to “Good luck, Khvicha, we look forward to seeing you back on the pitch soon.”

However, X’s auto-translation into English sparked confusion, as the Napoli message read: “Break a leg, Khvicha, we look forward to seeing you back on the pitch soon.”

Several users commented on the post, saying that “Break a leg” isn’t exactly the right expression to wish a speedy recovery to a player who has just broken his ACL.

The translation was probably too literal, as the expression “in bocca al lupo” literally means “in the wolf’s mouth” and is used in Italian to wish good luck.

Kvaratskhelia is now due to undergo surgery following his injury.

The 25-year-old scored 30 goals in 107 appearances with Napoli before his January 2025 move to PSG. Kvara won the 2022-23 Serie A title under Luciano Spalletti.

In bocca al lupo Khvicha, ti aspettiamo presto in campo! 💪

— Official SSC Napoli (@sscnapoli) October 21, 2026