There is a bit of anxiety about the fitness of Inter Milan midfielder Nicolo Barella in the Italy captain ahead of EURO 2024.

Both Italian FA President Gabriele Gravina and head of the national team delegation Gianluigi Buffon spoke about the 27-year-old’s condition in a press conference, as reported by FCInterNews.

Barella missed out on the Italian national team’s first pre-EURO 2024 warmup friendly agaisnt Turkey,

The reason, as Azzurri coach Luciano Spalletti made clear, had to do with the Inter midfielder’s fitness.

Barella has been dealing with some muscular fatigue in the rectus femoris muscle of his right thigh.

Therefore, Spalletti had opted not to risk the former Cagliari midfielder in a friendly match.

And Barella will also miss out on Italy’s second pre-tournament warmup match.

This Sunday, the Azzurri take on Bosnia and Herzgovina. And there is no chance of Barella getting back to full fitness in time for that match.

The real question, then, concerns Barella’s availability for Italy’s EURO 2024 opener.

The Azzurri take on Albania in their first group stage match of the tournament on the 15th.

Italian FA “Slightly Worried” About Fitness Of Nicolo Barella For EURO 2024

Even if Barella is able to be in the squad against Albania, the doubts would be natural.

Will the Inter midfielder be fully fit? Will he be at his best without the warmup matches in his legs, and with a relatively later return to training.

Then, there will be questions about Barella’s readiness to return for subsequent group stage matches, and for the knockouts.

As far as the 27-year-old’s condition, Italian FA President Gravina admitted that “We’re slightly worried about Barella’s condition.”

“But not excessively,” the FA President added.

“We await the results of the medical tests with great anxiety,” he said.

Meanwhile, the head of the Italian national team delegation, legendary former Juventus and Italy captain Gianluigi Buffon also updated on the matter.

Buffon said that “The results of the decisive medical tests should come today or tomorrow.”