Italy has suffered a major setback just a day before their UEFA Nations League quarter-final match. Forward Matteo Retegui, who was born in Argentina, has been ruled out due to injury. He will miss both legs of the quarter-final against Germany.
The 25-year-old Atalanta striker sustained a thigh injury, as confirmed by the Italian Football Federation in a statement on Wednesday.
Italy will play Germany in the first leg on Thursday at home and the second leg next Sunday in Germany. Retegui’s absence from these matches was also mentioned in the statement.
Retegui has been in excellent form recently, playing a key role in Atalanta’s title race in Serie A, having scored 22 goals so far this season.
Since making his international debut in 2018, Retegui has proven his worth to Italy, scoring six goals in 18 appearances for the four-time World Cup winners.
Losing a player in such good form right before an important match is a significant blow for any team. In Retegui’s absence, Italy’s coach Luciano Spalletti may turn to Fiorentina’s Moise Kean, who has scored the second-highest number of goals in Serie A this season, with 15 goals.
