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RICCARDO CALAFIORI RETURNS TO ARSENAL AS ITALY CLARIFY PLAYER’S INJURY SITUATION
Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori has left the Italy camp and returned to London with a hip injury. The Gunners hope it's not serious as the key player is assessed by club staff ahead of the crucial North London derby.
Calafiori back at Arsenal - Photo Credit: Getty Images
Riccardo Calafiori's early return to north London from international duty has delivered Arsenal yet another injury setback.
According to Fabrizio Romano, the defender quit the Italian national team on Saturday in preparation for Sunday night's 2026 World Cup qualifying match against Norway.
"Riccardo Calafiori has left the Italy camp today and returns to London to be assessed by Arsenal experts," Romano posted on social media to announce the news.
Additionally, he mentioned that Gennaro Gattuso, the coach of Italy, had stated: "He tried to be available, but he can’t force anymore," in reference to Calafiori-related issues.
It is believed that Calafiori's return to the English capital has been communicated to Arsenal staff, who do not anticipate any significant issues. According to Italian media, the 23-year-old 'ignored' Arsenal's invitation to remain in London during the international break.
Having started in all 11 of the Gunners' Premier League games so far this season, the youthful player has played a significant role in Mikel Arteta's table-topping team.
It makes sense that Arsenal would want to minimise any more problems before a busy schedule of games, given that they have had to deal with several injuries to gain a four-point lead over second-place Manchester City.
Calafiori reportedly trained alone before missing the game against Moldova the next night, according to reports from Italy on Wednesday. He is said to have suffered a hip injury, but it is not believed to be very serious.
In an effort to avoid making matters worse, La Repubblica further asserted that Arsenal had wanted Calafiori to stay away from his country's international squad in order to recuperate from his hip ailment. But the report also claimed that Gattuso and Gianluigi Buffon, the delegation chairman, pushed players to put the national team first in order to compete for a spot at the World Cup in North America next summer.
When Arsenal returns to Premier League action on Sunday, November 23, against fierce rivals Tottenham, they expect to welcome back a number of first-team players.
Both Kai Havertz and Noni Madueke have made significant strides in their recovery from their knee injuries. Although it was reported that both could have played in Tuesday night's match between Arsenal U21S and Cardiff City, neither man attended the 3-1 Football League Trophy loss.
Martin Odegaard, the captain of Arsenal, is still "some distance away" from making his own comeback, according to Norway manager Stale Solbakken. Gabriel Jesus, who had ACL surgery in late January, is also expected to return before the new year.
In other news, Gabriel Martinelli and Viktor Gyokeres are both recuperating from groin and hamstring strains they suffered before the international break.
MIKEL ARTETA HESITANT ABOUT GATTUSO’S APPROACH TO RICCARDO CALAFIORI
Arsenal's Riccardo Calafiori is a doubt for Italy with a hip problem. Mikel Arteta will be concerned as reports suggest Italian players are being urged to play through pain for crucial World Cup qualifiers.
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Reports in Italy suggested Calafiori is struggling with a hip issue - Photo Credit: Getty Images
Riccardo Calafiori hopes to play in Italy's international match against Norway this weekend, and Mikel Arteta will be watching worriedly. This week, the Italian media revealed that the left-back has been dealing with a hip issue.
However, they acknowledged that Calafiori's health was getting better before the crucial qualification. Norway will play Estonia on Thursday, with the two nations three points apart, ahead of Italy's game against Moldova on Thursday, which the Arsenal defender is expected to miss.
Martin Odegaard is present, but he is not participating in the matches. Arsenal has permitted him to watch in a non-playing role while he heals. Despite leading his team to the top of the league after eleven games, Arteta has already had to contend with several injuries this season.
He has stated that player welfare should always be considered carefully, especially in regards to player congestion. According to a report by La Repubblica, Gennaro Gattuso and Gianluigi Buffon have urged Italy's players to prioritise the national team and World Cup qualification, even if they are not totally healthy. This may have made him less eager to read the article.
Because of this reported encouragement from the national team leaders, Calafiori may still participate even if he is not yet deemed fully prepared to face Norway. Fortunately, Calafiori's injury after a collision with Ousmane Dembele during the September match against Italy was minimal.
However, in October, December, January, and March of the following year, he would sustain three more injuries. Fortunately, he has so far escaped more issues during the current campaign.
Following the international break, Arsenal's next game is the North London Derby. After such a strong start to the new season, Arteta will be crossing his fingers that Calafiori will be ready.
There are other options if he is unable to play for any reason. While Myles Lewis-Skelly and Piero Hincapie are both viable choices and have filled the job, the Italian's distinct approach has given the Gunners a great deal of unpredictability, which has thwarted rival strategies to deal with Arsenal's buildup.
ARSENAL FACE FITNESS BLOW, RICCARDO CALAFIORI MISSES INTERNATIONAL TRAINING SESSION
Arsenal's Riccardo Calafiori is set to miss Italy's World Cup qualifier vs Moldova with a hip issue. The left-back is training separately, raising doubts for the crucial decider against Norway.
Riccardo Calafiori Suffers Hip Issue - COURTESY/PHOTO
Due to a hip injury, Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori is anticipated to miss Italy's World Cup qualifying match against Moldova on Thursday.
This week, the 23-year-old left-back has been training independently from his international teammates at their Coverciano, Florence, team base.
Calafiori played 90 minutes in Arsenal's thrilling 2-2 draw at Sunderland last weekend. He has started all 11 of the Gunners' Premier League games this season.
His contribution to his nation over the break, meanwhile, is probably going to be little as the Azzurri attempt to reclaim the top spot in Group I of their World Cup qualifying campaign.
The former Bologna player is currently attempting to demonstrate his fitness in time for Sunday's Milan final matchup with Norway. If Italy wants to secure the top spot and earn a ticket in the finals next summer, they have work to do.
In addition to having a significantly better goal differential than the Euro 2020 winners, Norway presently leads Group I by three points.
It implies that when Estonia travels to Moldova on Thursday, Italy will probably also need them to win points from Norway in Oslo.
With 863 of 990 minutes played for Arsenal in the Premier League so far this season, Calafiori is still ranked higher at left-back than Myles Lewis-Skelly and Piero Hincapie.
However, Mikel Arteta has alternated in the Champions League and EFL Cup, and Calafiori has been rested a lot in both tournaments, except for the 2-0 European success at Athletic Club in September.
When the Gunners play Tottenham in the North London Derby on November 23, they hope to have several first-team players return.
While Noni Madueke and Kai Havertz have made significant strides in their recuperations from their individual knee injuries, Norway manager Stale Solbakken asserts that Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard is still "some ways away" from making a comeback.
Both were left out of the young team roster for Tuesday night's 3-1 Football League Trophy loss over Cardiff City, despite speculation that they would both play for Arsenal's U21S.
After undergoing ACL surgery in late January, Gabriel Jesus is also expected to make a comeback before the year is out. Before the international break, attackers Viktor Gyokeres and Gabriel Martinelli suffered hamstring and groin problems, but they are already making a full recovery.
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