Liverpool player Federico Chiesa was dropped from the Italy squad on Monday after being deemed not fully fit, and Italy manager Gennaro Gattuso called up Bologna’s Nicolo Cambiaghi to replace him.

“The player Federico Chiesa, whose condition was assessed upon his arrival at the Federal Technical Centre, was declared unavailable for the next two matches and, by mutual agreement with the club, has left the national team’s training camp,” reported the Italian Football Federation (FIGC).

“In his place, Nicolo Cambiaghi, a Bologna player, has been called up,” the statement added.

Chiesa was Gattuso’s key signing for this crucial fixture. The Italian winger had not been called up since Euro 2024 with Italy, and the manager revealed on several occasions that he had contacted him to include him in previous squads, but that it was the player’s decision not to join up.

Italy play Northern Ireland on 26 March in the first major ‘final’ to avoid another World Cup disaster after missing out on the last two major tournaments. Should they win, they will face the winner of Wales v Bosnia and Herzegovina on 31 March to secure their place at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

The match against Northern Ireland (20.45 CET) will be played at the New Balance Arena in Bergamo (north), home of Atalanta.

Italy have not played in a World Cup since 2014 and have not progressed beyond the group stage since 2006, the year in which it won its fourth World Cup. In 2018 and 2022, it lost its play-off matches against Sweden and North Macedonia respectively, and was thus eliminated.

N. Cambiaghi

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