Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori has been ruled out of international duty and is expected to be sidelined for a minimum of three weeks after suffering a knee injury during Italy’s 2-1 defeat to Germany at San Siro on Thursday evening.
The 22-year-old was forced off in the final minutes of the match after sustaining a low-grade injury to the medial collateral ligament in his left knee. Calafiori underwent scans on Friday morning, which confirmed the diagnosis following what was described as a contusion and sprain to the joint.
As a result, Calafiori has withdrawn from the Italian national team camp and will not travel with the squad for their upcoming fixture in Dortmund. Instead, he will return to London for further assessment by Arsenal’s medical team, led by manager Mikel Arteta.
🚨 Riccardo #Calafiori, sottoposto in tarda mattinata ad accertamenti strumentali per il trauma distorsivo-contusivo al ginocchio SX riportato nella partita contro la Germania, è stato ritenuto indisponibile per la gara di ritorno in programma domenica e farà rientro al club di… pic.twitter.com/86Lh6vt7LD
— Nazionale Italiana ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (@Azzurri) March 21, 2025
While a definitive timeline for his recovery is yet to be confirmed, early indications suggest the former Roma and Bologna defender will be out of action for approximately three weeks. That would see him miss Italy’s next UEFA Nations League match, as well as at least four to five games for Arsenal across domestic and European competitions.
The Gunners will hope to have Calafiori back in contention in time for the second leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid, scheduled for 16 April at the Santiago Bernabéu.
The injury is particularly concerning given that it involves the same knee Calafiori had surgically repaired seven years ago following a serious ligament rupture during his time with Roma’s Primavera youth side.
Despite the setback, initial assessments suggest the injury is not severe, though Arsenal are expected to conduct further examinations to rule out any complications.
Calafiori has impressed this season under Arteta and had become a reliable figure in Arsenal’s backline. His absence now leaves the North London side with a potential defensive gap as they head into a critical phase of the campaign.
