March 21, (THEWILL) – Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori will not participate in the Nations League quarter-final return match against Germany following a knee injury sustained during the first leg, the Italian football association (FIGC) confirmed on Friday.
The 22-year-old Arsenal player was forced to exit Thursday’s match at San Siro during added time after slipping while changing direction, requiring medical attention for his left knee. Italy ultimately lost the first leg 2-1 to Germany, creating additional pressure for the return fixture.
“Riccardo Calafiori, who underwent tests this morning for the sprain-contusion trauma to his left knee sustained during the match against Germany, has been deemed unavailable for the return match scheduled for Sunday and will return to his home club,” stated the FIGC in their official announcement.
The absence of Calafiori compounds Italy’s personnel issues, as they were already without striker Mateo Retegui, who withdrew prior to the first leg due to injury. The Italian squad must now prepare for Sunday’s crucial second leg in Dortmund without two key players.
For Arsenal, this represents another concerning development in Calafiori’s injury-troubled season. Since joining from Bologna in July, the defender has missed nine English Premier League matches due to various fitness issues, including a similar knee problem. The Gunners’ next fixture is against Fulham on April 1, giving the Italian limited time to recover.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
