Mancini Confirms Key Absences for Nations League Clash Against Belgium
Italy’s head coach Roberto Mancini has announced that the national team will be missing Davide Frattesi and Nicolò Cambiaghi for the crucial Nations League decider against Belgium on Sunday, while Riccardo Calafiori remains a doubt.
Mancini shared his updates with reporters, stating that he has already formed his lineup for the match in Brussels, although he plans to evaluate the players’ fitness during the final training session on Sunday. “Line-up? It’s all fairly clear in my head, we’ll see tomorrow,” he said. “Tomorrow we’ll assess the physical condition of all the players, and we’ll test them in the final session, including the two or three who are doubtful.”
Frattesi, who scored in Thursday’s 3-1 victory over France, has exited the camp due to a muscle strain and will undergo a scan with Lazio on Monday. Meanwhile, Cambiaghi has returned to Bologna nursing an ankle injury after failing to recover in time for the match.
“We were hoping to get Cambiaghi back, but he was still in pain this morning. We’ll replace him and Frattesi. Calafiori will also need to be assessed,” Mancini added. This latest situation adds to the difficulties faced by the squad, which has already seen Nicolò Zaniolo depart for personal reasons earlier in the week.
Currently, Italy leads Group A1 on goal difference, tied with France at 10 points. A draw at the King Baudouin Stadium will be enough for Italy to secure a spot in the quarter-finals, while a victory would guarantee first place in the group. Pio Esposito, who netted twice against France, is anticipated to spearhead the attack once more. The match is set to kick off at 20:45 CET (19:45 GMT).
