Inter Milan veteran Francesco Acerbi won’t be part of the Italy squad at Euro 2024, as he’ll have to undergo surgery in the coming days.
The 36-year-old has been suffering from a groin problem in recent weeks. Yet, Luciano Spalletti still named him in his 30-man preliminary list.
The former Napoli and Inter coach was hoping that the defender would be able to shake off this issue in time and make himself available for Italy’s title defense.
However, the problem persisted, forcing the technical staff to drop the player out of the squad.
The FIGC has already announced the decision in an official statement posted on the federation’s official website.
The note reveals that Spalletti had already alerted Juventus defender Federico Gatti in previous days. The 25-year-old will thus replace the Nerazzurri veteran.
Moreover, FcInterNews reports that Acerbi will undergo surgery on Monday to resolve the issue once and for all.
This is a major blow for the former Lazio and Sassuolo defender, as his relatively advanced playing age could prevent him from participating in another major international tournament.
Acerbi will be 38 by the 2026 World Cup.
Inter Milan Defender Francesco Acerbi Out Of Italy Squad For Euro 2024 Due To Groin Injury
Nevertheless, the defender will be looking to recover as soon as possible to make himself available at Simone Inzaghi’s disposal in pre-season.
Acerbi joined the Nerazzurri in 2022 on an initial loan deal from Lazio. Following a first positive campaign at San Siro, Inter activated their option to buy him last summer.
The experienced centre-back made 38 appearances across all competitions last term, contributing with three goals and two assists.
The Italian international’s contract with the Italian champions is valid until June 2025.
