Inter’s Italian trio of Nicolo Barella, Alessandro Bastoni and Stefano Sensi will be available to play for the Azzurri against Northern Ireland on Thursday, according to a leading Italian broadcaster.
The Nerazzurri players were finally given the all-clear by Milan’s local health authority this afternoon to join up with Roberto Mancini’s squad at their training base in Parma, where they will remain inside their COVID-19 bubble.
Sky Sport Italia, via FcInterNews.it, have said Barella, Bastoni and Sensi will join up with their teammates tonight and will be available for Thursday’s FIFA World Cup qualifier at home to Northern Ireland.
Mancini is said to be particularly keen on using Barella, although Sassuolo’s Manuel Locatelli remains favourite to start in central midfield against Ian Baraclough’s side.
A report in Gazzetta dello Sport this morning said Sensi could be in line to start one or more of Italy’s upcoming fixtures against Northern Ireland, Bulgaria and Lithuania.
Barella sung the praises of Inter boss Antonio Conte earlier today, thanking him for helping improve several aspects of his game since the 24-year-old joined the Nerazzurri in 2019.