Andrea Belotti is now the latest player to be ruled out of the National Team’s upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Macedonia and Albania. The Torino forward was injured during Sunday’s match against Verona and medical tests have now confirmed that coach Gian Piero Ventura will not have his striker available for their next two fixtures. His withdrawal adds to the growing list of recent Azzurri absentees, which also includes Marco Verratti, Lorenzo Pellegrini and Daniele De Rossi. In terms of replacements, Ventura has opted to call up Roberto Inglese, Roberto Gagliardini, Nicolò Barella and Bryan Cristante, with the latter two receiving their first National Team selections.
Meanwhile, the team have completed their first session at Coverciano and will return to training tomorrow afternoon, continuing their preparations for Friday’s match against Macedonia at the Stadio Olimpico-Grande Torino.
Squad list
Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Gianluigi Donnarumma (Milan), Mattia Perin (Genoa);
Defenders: Davide Astori (Fiorentina), Andrea Barzagli (Juventus), Leonardo Bonucci (Milan), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Danilo D’Ambrosio (Inter), Matteo Darmian (Manchester United), Daniele Rugani (Juventus), Leonardo Spinazzola (Atalanta), Davide Zappacosta (Chelsea);
Midfielders: Nicolò Barella (Cagliari), Bryan Cristante (Atalanta), Roberto Gagliardini (Inter), Marco Parolo (Lazio);
Wingers: Federico Bernardeschi (Juventus), Antonio Candreva (Inter), Stephan El Shaarawy (Roma), Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli), Simone Verdi (Bologna);
Forwards: Eder Citadin Martins (Inter), Manolo Gabbiadini (Southampton), Ciro Immobile (Lazio), Roberto Inglese (Chievo).
Source: figc.it
Italy Schedule
Tuesday 3rd October
13:45 Meeting with the press (players)
16:30 Training (First 15 minutes open to press.)
Wednesday 4th October
13:45 Meeting with press (Players)
16:30 Training (First 15 minutes open to press.)
Thursday 5th October
10:00 Training MD-1 (First 15 minutes open to press.)
16:20 Travel from Florence to Turin
17:45 Walk Around
18:00 Press conference with coach and one player Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino
FYR Macedonia’s MD-1 Schedule (Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino)
10:00 Training MD-1 at the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino (First 15 minutes open to press.)
17:00 Press conference with coach and one player
Friday 6th October
20:45 ITALY vs. FYR MACEDONIA
Meetings with press afterwards
Saturday 7th October
17:00 Training at the Stadio Filadelfia (open to press)
Sunday 8th October
10:00 Training MD-at Sisport (First 15 minutes open)
15:45 Travel from Turin to Tirana
17:40 Flight lands in Tirana and transfer toLoro-Boriçi stadium in Shköder (Around 1h 30m)
19:30 Walk Around
20:00 Press conference with coach and one player at Loro-Borici Stadium
Monday 9th October
20:45 ALBANIA vs. ITALY
Meetings to follow and transfer to Tirana airport before flights to Milan and Rome