Sat Sep 07 10:56:30 UTC 2024: ## Arsenal’s Injury Woes Continue as New Signing Calafiori Suffers Injury on International Duty
Arsenal’s injury woes continue as new signing Riccardo Calafiori was forced off with a leg injury during Italy’s 3-1 UEFA Nations League victory against France on Friday. The 22-year-old, who joined the Gunners from Bologna this summer, was injured when Ousmane Dembélé’s studs caught him on the back of the leg following a tackle by another player.
Despite trying to play on, Calafiori was replaced by Alessandro Buongiorno in the 71st minute. However, Italian coach Luciano Spalletti expressed optimism that Calafiori could potentially return for their next match against Israel on Monday.
“We need to assess Riccardo, but with our staff, we’ve a good chance to have him back with us for the next game,” Spalletti stated.
This news comes as a blow to Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, who has already lost another new signing, Mikel Merino, to injury during his first training session. Merino, a €32.5 million ($36m) arrival from Real Sociedad, sustained the injury after colliding with centre-back Gabriel Magalhães during practice at London Colney.
Adding to Arsenal’s injury concerns, Declan Rice will miss the north London derby against Tottenham Hotspur after receiving a second yellow card for kicking the ball away during the Premier League draw with Brighton on August 31st.
The Gunners will be hoping for a quick recovery for Calafiori and Merino as they face a challenging schedule ahead, including the upcoming derby clash against Tottenham.
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