AC Milan Defender Alessio Romagnoli Pulls Out of Italy Squad With Muscle Injury
AC Milan captain Alessio Romagnoli has withdrawn from the Italy squad with a muscle injury, according to reports.
The 23-year-old left Italy's training camp on Friday, a day before the Azzurri's crucial UEFA Nations League meeting with Portugal at the San Siro.
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Sky Sport Italia (via Football Italia) reports that Romagnoli suffered a 'muscle contracture' in training and has been released to rehabilitate under the supervision of club staff.
Lazio centre back Francesco Acerbi, who last played for Italy in March 2016, has been called into Roberto Mancini's squad as a replacement.
Milan's injury list is becoming more and more of a problem as Romagnoli joins Giacomo Bonaventura, Lucas Biglia and Mattia Caldara on the treatment table.
Bonaventura is undergoing an operation on his knee which will keep him out for four months, Biglia is not expected back until 2019 with a calf injury, and Caldara has an achilles tendon injury which will keep him sidelined for at least a few weeks.
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Romagnoli will have nine days to recover before Milan face Lazio in Serie A after the international break. He has played all but one of Milan's league games this season, scoring recent winners against Genoa and Udinese.
Italy must beat Portugal on Saturday to stand any chance of winning their Nations League group, although Portugal will still top the group if they beat Poland on Tuesday. Mancini's men also face the United States in a friendly in Genk next week.
