Federico Gatti has been added to Italy's squad for the Nations League matches against France and Belgium. The Juventus defender is 28 and has eight senior caps, and his club return this season, one goal and one assist in nine appearances across Serie A and the Europa League, gives the recall some substance.
Juventus numbers behind the recall
Gatti's season has not been flashy, but it has been steady. He has one goal and one assist in nine appearances this season between Serie A and the Europa League, and his Serie A rating stands at 6.91.
His most recent Juventus outing was the 2-2 draw at Fiorentina, where he received a 6.11 rating. That is the sort of form that makes a squad call-up easier to justify, especially when Roberto Mancini is looking for an experienced defender rather than another young stopgap.
Italy's decisions for France and Belgium
Mancini had initially called up Udinese's 18-year-old Matteo Palma to replace injured Roma defender Gianluca Mancini, but the switch to Gatti points to a clear preference for experience before two difficult fixtures. Italy host France at San Siro on Thursday November 12 and then visit Belgium in Brussels on Sunday November 15.
Those are the games that now frame the recall. Gatti has been in the Juventus side often enough to stay in the conversation, and Italy have turned back to him for a pair of Nations League tests that arrive this week.
Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
