Italy Names Ruggeri and Casadei in Squad for Nations League Quarter-Final Debut

Italian midfielder Cesare Casadei and defender Matteo Ruggeri have been handed their maiden National Team call-ups as manager Luciano Spalletti announced his 25-man squad on Friday ahead of next week’s Nations League quarter-final clash with Germany.

Casadei, who transitioned to Torino last month from Chelsea—where he initially joined as a youth player in 2022—has made 11 appearances in the Premier League, coupled with loan spells at Reading and Leicester City.

The 22-year-old has played five matches in the Conference League for Chelsea this season and has featured in all five Serie A games since rejoining Torino. Spalletti was present to witness his first goal for the club against Monza on 2 March.

Ruggeri, also 22, boasts a total of 101 appearances for Atalanta and was honoured in UEFA’s Europa League Team of the Season last year after contributing to his side’s trophy win. He is set to fill the void left by the injured Federico Dimarco.

The remainder of the squad unveiled few surprises, with Lorenzo Lucca, who has made just one substitute appearance for Italy, included among the forwards alongside Serie A’s top two goal scorers this season, Mateo Retegui and Moise Kean.

The only other uncapped inclusion is Fiorentina defender Pietro Comuzzo, who was called up last year but has yet to make his debut.

Italy will host Germany for the first leg on Thursday at San Siro in Milan, with the return fixture scheduled for three days later in Dortmund.

Italy Squad

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris St Germain), Alex Meret (Napoli), Guglielmo Vicario (Tottenham Hotspur)

Defenders: Alessandro Bastoni (Inter Milan), Alessandro Buongiorno (Napoli), Riccardo Calafiori (Arsenal), Andrea Cambiaso (Juventus), Pietro Comuzzo (Fiorentina), Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli), Federico Gatti (Juventus), Matteo Ruggeri (Atalanta), Destiny Udogie (Tottenham Hotspur)

Midfielders: Nicolo Barella (Inter Milan), Cesare Casadei (Torino), Davide Frattesi (Inter Milan), Samuele Ricci (Empoli), Nicolo Rovella (Lazio), Sandro Tonali (Newcastle United)

Forwards: Moise Kean (Fiorentina), Lorenzo Lucca (Udinese), Daniel Maldini (Atalanta), Matteo Politano (Napoli), Giacomo Raspadori (Napoli), Mateo Retegui (Atalanta), Mattia Zaccagni (Lazio)