Federico Dimarco Withdraws from Italy’s Nations League Camp

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

Mancini’s first camp since his re-appointment as CT began on Sunday evening, with the squad gathering ahead of a demanding four-game run: Belgium on September 25, Turkiye on September 28, France on October 2 and Turkiye again on October 5.

It was already a symbolic camp for Mancini. His first list back in charge, unveiled on Friday, carried a clear message of renewal: nine debut call-ups, including Michael Kayode, Antonio Vergara, Alessandro Romano, Issa Doumbia and Mohamed Ali Zoma.

The plans have not survived the opening days.

Bryan Cristante was the first to drop out, Roma’s midfielder ruled out on Sunday with a physical problem and replaced by Como’s Samuele Ricci. Within 24 hours, another pillar went down.

Dimarco, Inter’s wing-back and reigning Serie A MVP, reported as planned to Coverciano. Medical checks followed. The verdict ended his camp before it had really started.

“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, it is a significant adjustment. Dimarco is not just another name on the list; he is a reference point on the left, a guaranteed source of width, delivery and leadership in a relatively young group. Losing him strips Italy of one of their most established weapons in a window packed with heavyweight opposition.

For Ruggeri, it is the opposite: an opening that might have taken much longer to arrive. The former Atalanta wideman, now at Aston Villa in the Premier League, steps into a major international camp at a time when places in Italy’s defensive line are fiercely contested. One strong week could change the shape of his international future.

The reshaped squad now leans even harder on its defensive core. Alessandro Bastoni and Giorgio Scalvini remain the anchors at the back, supported by the likes of Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Gianluca Mancini. Around them, the new generation presses in: Honest Ahanor, Diego Coppola, Kayode, Daniele Ghilardi, Eddy Kouadio and now Ruggeri, all battling for minutes and Mancini’s trust.

In midfield, Nicolò Barella, Sandro Tonali and Davide Frattesi provide the established spine, while Doumbia, Romano, Ricci and Nicolò Fagioli offer fresh legs and different profiles for the coach to test across four matches in quick succession.

Between the posts, Gianluigi Donnarumma leads a goalkeeping group completed by Marco Carnesecchi, Massimo Pessina and Guglielmo Vicario, underlining the depth at Mancini’s disposal in that department.

Dimarco will head back to Inter to continue his recovery, his absence a reminder of how fragile international windows can be. For Italy, the schedule does not pause. Belgium, Turkiye and France await, and with them, an early measure of how quickly this new-look Azzurri can grow without one of their most reliable left-sided stars.