Mark van Bommel has officially named his Belgium squad for the upcoming UEFA Nations League fixtures, calling up six Serie A players as the Red Devils prepare for a marquee battle against Italy. The match represents a pivotal moment on the international calendar, marking the start of Roberto Mancini’s second stint in charge of the Azzurri. Taking place at the iconic Stadio Olimpico in Rome on Friday, September 25, the contest launches an exhausting window where Italy face four matches in 11 days during the two-week international break. Following their opener against Van Bommel’s side, Mancini’s men travel to face Vincenzo Montella’s Turkiye on September 28, alongside scheduled visits to both Belgium and France.
Mancini has constructed an elite Italian squad to handle the grueling schedule, mixing premier domestic talent with prominent international figures. Manchester City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma headlines the selection between the posts, joined by Atalanta’s Marco Carnesecchi, Bologna’s Massimo Pessina, and Juventus shot-stopper Guglielmo Vicario. The midfield unit features dynamic quality throughout, anchored by Inter’s Nicolò Barella, Roma’s Bryan Cristante, Sporting CP’s Issa Doumbia, Fiorentina’s Nicolò Fagioli, Lazio’s Davide Frattesi, Torino’s Rolando Mandragora, Tottenham’s Sandro Tonali, and Cagliari’s Alessandro Romano, who scored against Parma Calcio at the Stadio Ennio Tardini.
The widespread influence of Italian football extends across other national selections during this window as well. Defending World Cup champions Spain have included 28-year-old Martinez in their senior squad. After making his lone international debut in a June 2021 friendly against Lithuania, Martinez is positioned to potentially earn his first competitive appearance for La Roja. Meanwhile, Spain’s Under-21 national side leans heavily on Italian clubs, calling up Como trio Jacobo Ramón, Alex Valle, and Jesús Rodríguez, alongside Sassuolo’s Rafa Obrador.
This international call-up comes amid a tumultuous period for domestic managers dealing with extensive injury lists across Serie A. Juventus enter their upcoming fixtures severely depleted, missing Kenan Yildiz, Khephren Thuram, Manuel Locatelli, Juan Cabal, Ekhator, and Boga through injury, while Arkadiusz Milik remains off their Serie A list. Atalanta travel to Turin without Isak Hien and Kamaldeen Sulemana. Broad unavailability plagues other clubs as well, with Inter missing Spence, Stones, and Calhanoglu, while Lazio navigate absences for Marusic, Dele-Bashiru, and Rovella. Napoli deal with a vast casualty list including McTominay, Meret, Anguissa, and Spinazzola. Conversely, Milan prepare to host Lecce at San Siro with manager Ruben Amorim able to rely on a complete squad.
