Riccardo Calafiori has left Italy’s camp with a hip injury and returned to Arsenal, raising concerns ahead of the north London derby on November 23
Riccardo Calafiori has withdrawn from the Italy squad after failing to recover from a hip issue. The defender missed the 2-0 win over Moldova and trained separately from the group all week. Italy confirmed he returned to London for treatment on Saturday.
Head coach Gennaro Gattuso said Calafiori tried to make himself available but was not fit enough. He thanked the defender for staying in camp throughout the week. Italy face Norway on Sunday in their final World Cup qualifier.
Calafiori’s return adds to a growing injury list for Arsenal. The club is already without Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli, Viktor Gyokeres, Kai Havertz and Noni Madueke. Centre-back Gabriel also suffered an abductor issue while playing for Brazil against Senegal.
The Italian left-back has been one of Arsenal’s standout players this season. He has started all eleven Premier League matches, scoring once and providing two assists. His defensive contribution has helped Arsenal concede just five goals in the league, the best defensive record so far.
Calafiori has also been productive going forward. Only Gyokeres has attempted more shots for Arsenal in the league. His 2.21 expected goals tally ranks third in the squad behind Gyokeres and Bukayo Saka. The 23-year-old also has the third highest clearances per game (2.5), behind Gabriel (5.9) and William Saliba (3.9).
Gattuso must now decide who replaces Calafiori against Norway. The coach mentioned Gianluca Mancini and Alessandro Buongiorno as possible options. Italy need a win to strengthen their position in qualifying, although overturning Norway’s goal advantage is highly unlikely.
Calafiori’s absence removes one of Italy’s most in form defenders. He had featured three times in their qualifying campaign before the injury. His versatility on the left side has been a useful asset for Gattuso.
Italy’s 2-0 victory over Moldova featured several strong performances. The Azzurri controlled the game from the onset but struggled to breakdown a stubborn Moldova backline. Despite having 77% possession, Italy needed to late goals from Gianluca Mancini and Francesco Pio Esposito to get a win they badly needed. Their defence remained solid, despite Calafiori not being involved, although it was rarely tested. Norway will offer a way tougher test to their defensive organization.
Several young players stepped up, offering energy and composure. The win also kept Italy within reach of Norway heading into the final round of fixtures.
Arsenal now await further medical assessments on Calafiori. The defender will be monitored daily to determine whether he can feature in the north London derby on November 23rd. Arsenal face Bayern Munich and Chelsea in the following week, creating a challenging stretch.
Italy conclude their qualifying campaign against Norway on Sunday. Gattuso will be hoping his back line can cope without Calafiori as they chase a strong finish. Arsenal meanwhile hope their defender can recover quickly ahead of a critical run of matches.
