Yesterday’s Atalanta-Fiorentina, postponed on March 17 due to the death of Joe Barone and recovered with Serie A already over due to the lack of availability of both teams (both played in European finals), It was not important for the clubs’ objectives, but it took a very expensive toll on Luciano Spalletti. Giorgio Scalviniwho had scored one of the goals for 2-3 (Lookman, Belotti with a double and Nico González scored the other goals), will miss the Eurocup.
The center-back was one of the players who were rumored for Real Madrid. With the long-term losses of Militao and Alaba, the club seemed forced to resort to the winter market to reinforce itself. Several names came to the fore, including Scalvini, but Carlo Ancelotti ruled out signing a centre-back at that time, trusting in Tchouameni and Carvajal as substitutes in case Nacho or Rudiger failed. Given the possible departure of the captain, the whites now saw in the Italian a great possibility to strengthen their defense.
The 20-year-old defender, one of the best in the Italian championship, suffered the rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament of the left knee. A disaster both for his career, as he will inevitably experience a long break, and for the Azzurra, who lose one of the possible pillars of their defense after the loss of Acerbi. Given the injury, Luciano Spalletti reacted by making Federico Gatti’s call-up official, Juventus’ starter this season. Today the former Naples coach will welcome the Bianconero and Gianluca Scamacca, the other Atalanta native who had to join the Nazionale group this afternoon.
The news obviously caused controversy in Italy. Scalvini started and was injured in the 83rd minute of a match whose only value, for Atalanta, which already had qualification for the Champions League assured, was to close Serie A in third place. Spalletti will now work with Di Lorenzo, Mancini, Bastoni, Gatti, Darmian, Buongiorno and Calafiori. He still has a good block, but Losing a talent like Scalvini is terrible news and one less important resource for the Euro Cup..
