Italy will face Belgium and France in this month’s Nations League matches without center-backs Riccardo Calafiori and Matteo Gabbia, who were forced to withdraw from Luciano Spalletti’s squad due to injuries. Calafiori, currently playing for Arsenal, sustained a knee injury in last month’s Champions League match against Shakhtar Donetsk, while AC Milan’s Gabbia is sidelined with a calf strain.
The defensive losses prompted Spalletti to make fresh additions to the lineup, calling up Fiorentina’s Pietro Comuzzo for his first national team appearance. Additionally, Juventus right-back Nicolo Savona and Lazio midfielder Nicolo Rovella have earned their first call-ups. Rovella has been in fine form, having impressed in the early stages of the season with Lazio.
AS Roma captain Lorenzo Pellegrini will also miss the upcoming fixtures, having received a red card in Italy’s 2-2 draw with Belgium last month. Juventus midfielder Nicolo Fagioli, who had been a strong presence in previous games, has been left out as well.
One of Italy’s key returning players is Inter Milan midfielder Nicolo Barella, who missed October’s matches due to nose surgery. His inclusion is expected to bolster Italy’s midfield as they prepare for two challenging matches.
Italy currently tops Nations League Group A2 with 10 points from four games, just one point ahead of France, while Belgium lags behind with four points. Italy will visit Belgium on Thursday, followed by a home clash against France three days later. With these games potentially deciding the group, Spalletti’s tactical adjustments and the squad’s cohesion will be key as Italy aims to solidify its position at the top.
Italy’s Squad for Nations League Matches
Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Donnarumma, Alex Meret, Guglielmo Vicario
Defenders: Alessandro Bastoni, Alessandro Buongiorno, Andrea Cambiaso, Pietro Comuzzo, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Federico Dimarco, Federico Gatti, Caleb Okoli, Nicolo Savona, Destiny Udogie
Midfielders: Nicolo Barella, Davide Frattesi, Niccolo Pisilli, Samuele Ricci, Nicolo Rovella, Sandro Tonali
Forwards: Moise Kean, Daniel Maldini, Giacomo Raspadori, Mateo Retegui
As Italy readies for two crucial fixtures, Spalletti’s new-look lineup will face a challenging test, balancing young talent and experienced players in the hope of continuing their Nations League success.
