Riccardo Calafiori withdraws from Italy squad as 'new Arsenal injury timeline revealed'

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·21 March 2025

Riccardo Calafiori withdraws from Italy squad as 'new Arsenal injury timeline revealed'

Gunners star appears to have a race to be fit for first leg of Champions League showdown with Real Madrid

Injury: Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori hurt his left knee during Italy’s defeat by Germany in the Nations League

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Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori has withdrawn from the Italy squad through injury amid reports that he is facing two to three weeks out, putting him in a race to be fit to face Real Madrid.

Calafiori was forced off late on in the Azzurri’s 2-1 Nations League quarter-final first-leg defeat by Germany in Milan on Thursday night after slipping horribly while trying to intercept a pass and seeing his left knee buckle painfully underneath him.

He received treatment on the pitch and was later seen limping through the mixed zone at the San Siro as he replied “I still don’t know” when asked how the knee was doing.

Italy head coach Luciano Spalletti said: “We don’t know yet, he said his knee feels strange, but cannot answer more precisely than that, so we’ll have to see. Unfortunately, his studs slipped as he went to cut out a pass.”

Calafiori underwent tests on the injury on Friday, with Italy now confirming that he will return to Arsenal and play no part in Sunday’s second-leg decider against Germany in Dortmund.

“Riccardo Calafiori, who underwent tests late this morning after sustaining an injury to his left knee during yesterday's match against Germany, has been deemed unavailable for Sunday's second leg and will return to his club,” the Azzurri said in a statement.

Calafiori’s withdrawal came after reports surfaced in Italy on Friday claiming that the former Bologna star had injured the collateral ligament in his left knee and would likely be sidelined for two to three weeks.

If such a timeline proves accurate, then the 22-year-old could yet miss the first leg of Arsenal’s huge Champions League quarter-final tie against holders Real Madrid at the Emirates Stadium on April 8.

The Gunners do not play on the weekend immediately following the current international break due to their early exit from this season’s FA Cup, with their next fixture coming at home to London rivals Fulham in the Premier League on Tuesday, April 1.

That match is followed by a trip to Everton, with their two games against Madrid then sandwiched between the top-flight visit of Brentford.

Arsenal are hoping to have star man Bukayo Saka back in time for the first-leg clash with Madrid after a hamstring tear that required surgery and has kept him out since just before Christmas.

However, Mikel Arteta is without fellow attackers Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus for the remainder of the season with hamstring and knee injuries respectively, while defender Takehiro Tomiyasu will also not play again this term after a knee operation.

Jurrien Timber was a surprise absentee from the Netherlands squad for their Nations League quarter-final first leg against Spain in Rotterdam on Thursday evening, but that was due to illness rather than injury.