Marco Verratti set to miss Italy call-up for WC playoffs | OneFootball

Marco Verratti’s anticipated return to the Italian national team has hit a significant setback as a knee injury ruled the midfielder out of the upcoming World Cup playoffs.

According to La Repubblica, relayed by TMW, the Al-Duhail midfielder received an official letter for a call-up ahead of the crucial fixtures later this month. However, the physical issue forced manager Gennaro Gattuso to abandon plans to reintegrate the former Paris Saint-Germain star into the Azzurri setup.

The injury opens the door for Roma’s Niccolò Pisilli, who is now the leading candidate to replace the veteran in the squad. As Italy prepares for the high-stakes playoff matches, the loss of Verratti’s experience shifts the focus toward the younger profile of Pisilli to bolster the midfield options.

Antonio Vergara is also likely to miss the key games, which makes the Roma player a versatile option who can fill into two roles.

Kaustubh Pandey I GIFN