Federico Dimarco Withdraws from Italy's Nations League Squad
Federico Dimarco has pulled out of Italy’s latest Nations League squad, with Aston Villa full-back Matteo Ruggeri drafted in as his replacement.
The FIGC confirmed on Monday that the Inter wing-back, last season’s Serie A MVP, reported to Coverciano but will now return home after medical checks showed he had not fully recovered from a physical problem sustained with his club.
“Following the medical test carried out at Coverciano, Inter defender Federico Dimarco, who has not recovered from a physical issue he suffered with his club, is unavailable for the upcoming national team commitments and will leave the camp in the next few hours,” read the federation’s statement. “In his place, Roberto Mancini has called up Aston Villa defender Matteo Ruggeri.”
It is another early disruption for Mancini in his first camp since being re-appointed CT in the summer, with the squad assembling on Sunday evening ahead of a demanding Nations League run: Belgium on September 25, Turkiye on September 28, France on October 2 and Turkiye again on October 5.
Dimarco’s withdrawal follows that of Roma midfielder Bryan Cristante, who left the squad on Sunday due to a physical issue and was replaced by Como’s Samuele Ricci.
Mancini had already shaken up his group with a wave of new faces. His list, announced on Friday, included first senior call-ups for nine players, among them Michael Kayode, Antonio Vergara, Alessandro Romano, Issa Doumbia and Mohamed Ali Zoma, as he looks to refresh the core of the Azzurri.
Now Ruggeri, formerly of Atalanta and currently playing in the Premier League with Aston Villa, steps into a defensive unit that still boasts experience and promise despite Dimarco’s absence.
Italy’s Updated Squad
Italy’s updated squad after the withdrawals of Dimarco and Cristante is as follows:
- Goalkeepers: Marco Carnesecchi (Atalanta), Gianluigi Donnarumma (Manchester City), Massimo Pessina (Bologna), Guglielmo Vicario (Juventus).
- Defenders: Honest Ahanor (Crystal Palace), Alessandro Bastoni (Inter), Riccardo Calafiori (Arsenal), Diego Coppola (Paris FC), Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli), Daniele Ghilardi (Roma), Michael Kayode (Brentford), Eddy Kouadio (Monza), Gianluca Mancini (Roma), Matteo Ruggeri (Aston Villa), Giorgio Scalvini (Atalanta).
- Midfielders: Nicolò Barella (Inter), Issa Doumbia (Sporting CP), Nicolò Fagioli (Fiorentina), Davide Frattesi (Lazio), Rolando Mandragora (Torino), Samuele Ricci (Como), Alessandro Romano (Cagliari), Sandro Tonali (Newcastle).
The reshuffle has come quickly, but Mancini’s message is clear: places are open, reputations alone will not carry this team through a brutal Nations League schedule.
