Federico Dimarco Withdraws from Italy's Nations League Squad

Federico Dimarco has been forced out of Italy’s Nations League squad, with Aston Villa full-back Matteo Ruggeri drafted in as his replacement, the FIGC confirmed on Monday.

The Inter wing-back, reigning Serie A MVP and a pillar of the Azzurri’s left flank, reported to Coverciano as planned but did not pass his medical checks. After tests at the national training centre, Italy’s medical staff ruled that the physical problem he picked up with his club had not fully healed.

He will now leave camp and return home.

“Following the medical test carried out at Coverciano, Inter defender Federico Dimarco, who has not recovered from a physical issue he suffered with his club, is unavailable for the upcoming national team commitments and will leave the camp in the next few hours,” read the FIGC statement. “In his place, Roberto Mancini has called up Aston Villa defender Matteo Ruggeri.”

For Mancini, this is already the second enforced change before a ball has been kicked.

Cristante out, Ricci and Ruggeri in

The squad only began assembling on Sunday evening, with Italy set for a demanding Nations League run: Belgium on September 25, Turkiye on September 28, France on October 2 and Turkiye again on October 5.

This camp is Mancini’s first since his re-appointment as CT earlier in the summer, and he had already shaken things up with a bold list on Friday. Nine players received their first senior call-up, including Michael Kayode, Antonio Vergara, Alessandro Romano, Issa Doumbia and Mohamed Ali Zoma, signalling a clear injection of youth and new ideas.

But the plans have not survived the opening 48 hours intact.

On Sunday night, the FIGC announced that Roma midfielder Bryan Cristante had withdrawn due to a physical issue. Como’s Samuele Ricci stepped in to take his place, offering Mancini another technical option in the middle of the park.

Now comes the heavier blow: Dimarco, one of the most influential wide players in Europe last season, removed from the equation.

Ruggeri, the former Atalanta wideman now at Aston Villa in the Premier League, gets the call. For the 22-year-old, it is a major opportunity, parachuted into a camp that suddenly has a very different feel on the flanks.

Mancini’s reshaped Azzurri

The withdrawals of Cristante and Dimarco slightly tilt the balance of a squad that was already experimental in places. The defensive unit still leans on experience with Alessandro Bastoni, Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Gianluca Mancini, but it is now flanked by fresh faces such as Honest Ahanor, Michael Kayode and Ruggeri himself.

Midfield remains anchored by Nicolò Barella, with support from Issa Doumbia, Nicolò Fagioli, Davide Frattesi, Rolando Mandragora, Ricci, Alessandro Romano and Sandro Tonali.

Between the posts, Mancini has options: Marco Carnesecchi, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Massimo Pessina and Guglielmo Vicario form a deep goalkeeping group, underlining the competition for the No. 1 shirt.

Dimarco’s absence removes a proven supply line and a set-piece threat just as Italy step into a block of high-stakes fixtures. Ruggeri now walks into that gap, with little time to settle and no room for hesitation.

Mancini wanted this camp to mark a fresh start. With two senior figures already out and a wave of debutants in, it may become an even more radical reboot than he first imagined.