By WILL PICKWORTH, SPORTS REPORTER
Published: 10:17 EST, 15 November 2025 | Updated: 10:17 EST, 15 November 2025
Arsenal star Riccardo Calafiori has left Italy's squad midway through the international break and is an injury concern ahead of next weekend's north London derby.
Calafiori, 23, has started every Premier League game this season and played a crucial role in the Gunners' brilliant start.
But, over recent weeks he has been nursing a hip injury, yet he still joined up with Italy for their crunch matches against Moldova and Norway this month.
He didn't make the matchday squad for Thursday's 2-0 win over Moldova despite travelling, and according to Fabrizio Romano, Calafiori has now returned to London to be assessed by Arsenal staff.
Explaining the situation, Italy boss Gennaro Gattuso said: 'He tried to be available but he can't force it now.'
The report does add that Arsenal are aware of the situation, and are not anticipating the issue to be a serious one.
Arsenal and Italy star Riccardo Calafiori has returned from international duty early due to injury
Defender Calafiori has started every Premier League game for Arsenal so far this season
Calafiori had been training away from Gattuso's side, although there was still hope he could play in tomorrow's clash against Norway.
The 23-year-old's exit from international duty comes after reports in Italian outlet La Repubblica had suggested Mikel Arteta wanted Calafiori to remain at home and not link up with his national team this month to manage the hip issue.
Nevertheless, it is also reported that Gattuso and Italy legend Gianluigi Buffon, who is now the head of delegation for the national team, have urged the Azzurri's stars to prioritise international duty, even if they are not fully fit.
This comes after what has been a difficult period for Italy, who have failed to qualify for the past two World Cups.
They are likely to be forced into a play-off this time around, as despite winning six games on the trot, Italy remain three points behind group leaders Norway.
The Scandinavian nation have a vastly superior goal difference though, and the two teams face off in their final qualifying game on Sunday.
Arteta will hope that Calafiori is fully fit by next weekend given the lengthy injury list the Gunners are facing.
Reports in Italy said Gunners boss Mikel Arteta had wanted Calafiori to skip international duty
For their 2-2 draw at Sunderland prior to the international break, Viktor Gyokeres, Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus and Noni Madueke were all missing from the matchday squad.
Speaking after that game, Arteta - whose side face Bayern Munich and Chelsea alongside Spurs in the next few weeks - felt the break had come at a good time.
He said: 'Now we reset with the international break, get the [international] players back nice and healthy, the ones that are not healthy make sure that they get healthy, and we go again.
'We'll look back at what we've done, take all of the positive things that we do, the things that we have the opportunity to improve as well and start to plan what is coming because it's going to be very demanding.'