FLORENCE, Italy — Forward Domenico Berardi has pulled out of the Italy squad with an injury, two days after receiving his first senior international call-up for the upcoming European Champions qualifiers against Azerbaijan and Norway.
The 21-year-old Berardi was named in the starting lineup for Sassuolo’s Serie A match against Empoli but pulled up with a muscular injury in the warm-up and was replaced by Matteo Politano.
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Italy coach Antonio Conte says Berardi underwent tests and a scan on Monday and while "they showed nothing serious … he told me he is in a lot of pain."
Conte adds that Berardi "is also a bit scared because he’s coming back from an injury, so he prefers to return home and recover."
Conte will not call up a replacement.
Italy is top of Group H, two points ahead of Norway.