Antonio Conte will be able to count upon Lele Oriali’s help and advice during the international break at Inter, according to a report in the Italian media.
Oriali has been the Nerazzurri’s team manager since 2019 but he also occupies the same position for the Italian national side, where he was supposed to be working with Roberto Mancini for the next week.
However, as reported by Gazzetta dello Sport’s print edition, the former midfielder will remain with Inter on this occasion because Oriali had close contact with one of the ‘team group’ members who tested positive for COVID-19 last week.
He will therefore continue to assist Conte with matters at Appiano Gentile, although this might only be in a virtual sense if he is having to isolate (the report did not specify).
Unlike Oriali, Inter’s Italian trio of Nicolo Barella, Alessandro Bastoni and Stefano Sensi have all reached the Azzurri’s training base in Parma after being cleared to join them by Milan’s local health authority.
Roberto Mancini’s side will play the first match of their 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign at home to Northern Ireland tomorrow, and it seems all three Nerazzurri players are available for selection.
Barella, Bastoni and Sensi are in a good condition despite having to suspend all activity at Inter for four days, the Milan-based paper explained, after completing three group sessions and one individual program each before leaving for Italy duty.
