Arsenal summer signing, Riccardo Calafiori, suffered an unfortunate injury during Italy’s Nations League opener against France on Friday night.
In the 71st minute, a freak accident involving France’s Ousmane Dembele led to Calafiori’s injury. Dembele accidentally kicked the back of Calafiori’s right knee, causing immediate pain for the 22-year-old defender. Despite attempting to continue, Calafiori was eventually forced to leave the pitch, visibly limping.
This injury comes as a significant concern for Arsenal, who are already dealing with the absence of midfielder Mikel Merino due to a shoulder fracture. With a crucial Premier League clash against Tottenham Hotspur looming after the international break, the Gunners will be anxiously awaiting a full assessment of Calafiori’s condition.
Though the Italy boss Luciano Spalletti has played down concerns that he was seriously hurt and said he could even be fit to face Israel on Monday.
‘We need to assess Riccardo but with our staff, we’ve a good chance to have him back with us for the next game,’ said Spalletti.
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