Alessandro Bastoni will cut his time with the Italy national team short and head back to Inter on Monday. The decision comes after he was booked during Saturday’s 3-1 away win against Estonia, his second yellow card of the qualification campaign.
The booking automatically rules him out of Italy’s upcoming qualifier against Israel, scheduled to take place in Udine. Bastoni has been a key figure for the Azzurri during this World Cup qualifying phase, playing every minute so far. His previous caution was picked up in the reverse fixture against Estonia in September — a match Italy dominated 5-0 in what was Gennaro Gattuso’s first game in charge.
With two yellow cards accumulated, the Nerazzurri defender will now serve a mandatory one-match suspension. He will be available for selection again when Italy face Moldova on November 13, after sitting out the match against Israel on Tuesday night.
Defender remains with teammates before departure
Although Bastoni is not eligible to feature in the next game, he has chosen to remain with the national squad for a short period before his departure. According to TMW, he returned to Italy with the rest of the team following the win in Estonia and spent Sunday integrated with the group.
He joined his teammates for lunch and was also present at Sunday’s training session, maintaining a close presence with the squad despite his upcoming absence. The centre-back will officially leave the training camp on Monday to resume his club duties with Inter.
Kean awaits medical tests as Esposito eyes opportunity
There is also uncertainty surrounding Moise Kean’s status within the squad. The Fiorentina striker made an immediate impact in the win over Estonia, scoring within the opening four minutes.
However, his involvement was cut short after he picked up an injury soon after finding the net.
Kean did not participate in Sunday’s training session and is scheduled to undergo further examinations on Monday to determine the seriousness of the problem. His potential withdrawal from the camp has not yet been confirmed.
In the meantime, Francesco Pio Esposito is reportedly preparing to step up. The young forward could make his first senior start for Italy if Kean is ruled out and Bastoni’s suspension leaves space for squad adjustments.
