Federico Dimarco Withdraws from Italy’s Nations League Squad

Federico Dimarco has pulled out of Italy’s Nations League squad, forcing Roberto Mancini into another early reshuffle just as his first camp back in charge gets underway.

The Inter wing-back, reigning Serie A MVP, reported to Coverciano but did not stay long. After medical tests with the national team staff, the FIGC confirmed that Dimarco has not recovered from a physical issue sustained with his club and will leave the camp “in the next few hours.”

His place goes to Matteo Ruggeri, the Aston Villa wideman and former Atalanta player, who now receives a late call for a demanding run of fixtures: Belgium on September 25, Turkiye on September 28, France on October 2 and Turkiye again on October 5.

Mancini’s new era, early disruptions

This is Mancini’s first gathering since his re-appointment as CT earlier in the summer, and he had already signalled a fresh start. On Friday he unveiled a squad laced with new blood, handing first call-ups to nine players, including Michael Kayode, Antonio Vergara, Alessandro Romano, Issa Doumbia and Mohamed Ali Zoma.

The plan has already needed tweaking. On Sunday night, Roma’s Bryan Cristante was ruled out with a physical problem and replaced by Como midfielder Samuele Ricci. Dimarco’s withdrawal on Monday adds another change in a key position, stripping Mancini of one of his most reliable left-sided weapons.

Ruggeri steps in from the Premier League, where he has been operating with Aston Villa, and offers a more traditional wide option compared with Dimarco’s playmaking from deep. For a coach looking to rebuild rhythm and identity, it is an enforced but intriguing adjustment.

The squad Mancini takes into the Nations League

With Cristante and Dimarco out and Ricci and Ruggeri in, Italy’s latest squad now reads:

• 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 names are familiar in places, experimental in others. The schedule is unforgiving. Mancini’s second spell starts with injuries, new faces and immediate tests against heavyweight opposition. How quickly this reshaped group can harden into a team will define more than just this Nations League campaign.