Italian national team coach Luciano Spalletti is considering his options to replace injured striker Mateo Retegui for the upcoming Nations League quarter-finals against Germany. While no immediate replacement will be called up for the first leg, Spalletti has identified two potential candidates for the second match.

Retegui, who plays for Atalanta, was forced to withdraw from the Italian squad due to a minor muscle injury. Spalletti explained, “We sent him back to his club as he wouldn’t recover in time. We’re hopeful he’ll be fit for Atalanta’s next game. The exact nature of the injury isn’t clear, but he’s experiencing muscle fatigue.”

The Italian coach is taking a wait-and-see approach before deciding on a replacement. “I want to assess how the first game unfolds before making a decision. Depending on our needs, I may call up either a center forward or a supporting striker,” Spalletti stated.

He went on to name two potential replacements: “If we require a center forward, I’ll summon Roberto Piccoli. If a supporting striker is needed, Tommaso Baldanzi will be called up.”

The Italian squad is already dealing with several injury concerns. Inter Milan’s Federico Dimarco is sidelined, while Juventus’ Andrea Cambiaso and Lazio’s Mattia Zaccagni are also struggling with fitness issues. As a precautionary measure, Atalanta’s Raoul Bellanova has been added to the squad in case Cambiaso fails to recover in time.

Italy will host Germany at San Siro on March 20 for the first leg of the Nations League quarter-finals, with the return match scheduled for March 24 at Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund.