Spalletti names Italy’s Nations League squad

Luciano Spalletti handed four players senior call-ups to the Italy national team ahead of its UEFA Nations League fixtures next week.
Italy takes on Belgium and Israel in the next round of games, hoping to build on its impressive start in Group A2 after winning its opening two matches, which included a 3-1 win over France.

AC Milan defender Matteo Gabbia has been included after an impressive run of performances at centre-back under new Milan head coach Paulo Fonseca.

Gabbia is also the first player from the Rossoneri to be named in the Italy squad in almost 600 days, with Sandro Tonali, who joined Newcastle United in 2023, the last Milan representative to feature for the Azzurri.

There was also a place in the squad for Monza’s Daniel Maldini, who could follow in the footsteps of his father Paolo, and grandfather Cesare, both former Italy captains.

Maldini has one goal and one assist in seven appearances in all competitions this season, and comes in for Lazio’s Matteo Zaccagni.

Juventus goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio has also been given a first call-up to the senior side, replacing the injured Alex Meret of Napoli.

Roma’s Niccolo Pisilli was also named in the squad, replacing Atlanta’s Marco Brescianini, who has suffered a recent injury set-back.

There were five Premier League representatives named in Spalletti’s 23-man squad, with Guglielmo Vicario, Riccardo Calafiori, Caleb Okoli, Destiny Udogie and Tonali also included.

However, there was no space for Liverpool’s Federico Chiesa, who did not feature in the Reds’ UEFA Champions League win over Bologna in midweek.

Italy squad: Michele Di Gregorio (Juventus), Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain), Guglielmo Vicario (Tottenham Hotspur), Alessandro Bastoni (Inter Milan), Raoul Bellanova (Atalanta), Alessandro Buongiorno (Napoli), Riccardo Calafiori (Arsenal), Andrea Cambiaso (Juventus), Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli), Federico Dimarco (Inter Milan), Matteo Gabbia (AC Milan), Caleb Okoli (Leicester City), Destiny Udogie (Tottenham Hotspur), Nicolo Fagioli (Juventus), Davide Frattesi (Inter Milan), Lorenzo Pellegrini (Roma), Niccolo Pisilli (Roma), Samuele Ricci (Torino), Sandro Tonali (Newcastle United), Moise Kean (Fiorentina), Daniel Maldini (Monza), Giacomo Raspadori (Napoli), Mateo Retegui (Atalanta).