Inter defender Acerbi on verge of Italy return for Haaland battle

epa12078775 FC Inter’s Francesco Acerbi (L) scores the 3-3 goal during the UEFA Champions semifinal 2nd leg soccer match between Inter Milan and FC Barcelona, in Milan, Italy, 06 May 2025. EPA-EFE/DANIEL DAL ZENNARO

Sunday’s reports claim that 37-year-old Inter defender Francesco Acerbi is on the verge of being recalled to the Italy national team squad in order to face Erling Haaland and Norway and then against Moldova in June’s World Cup qualifiers. 

Acerbi included on provisional Italy squad list

Acerbi has not been called up to the Italy national team squad in a year, dating back to the EURO 2024 preliminary squad. The Nerazzurri centre-back was not included in Luciano Spalletti’s final squad for the tournament. 

He has not played for Italy since October 2023, in a 0-0 draw against Ukraine in the final match of EURO 2024 qualifying. 

However, after a strong series of performances for Inter, particularly in their run to the Champions final, Spalletti has included the veteran defender in his preliminary squad for World Cup qualifiers against Norway and Moldova on June 6 and June 9 respectively according to reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport. 

Acerbi’s most notable contribution of the season came in the form of a winning goal in the second leg of the Champions semi-final against Barcelona to seal a 4-3 win on the night, a 7-6 win on aggregate, and a place in the final where Inter will play Paris Saint-Germain on May 31.

Given that Haaland and Norway are among Italy’s next opponents, and the fact that Acerbi has performed well when up against the Manchester City striker in their various battles over the last two years, the veteran defender’s inclusion is a strong possibility.

FIFA rules state that national team head coaches must provide a provisional squad list well in advance of their final squad announcement so that clubs and players can make necessary arrangements with enough notice. 

La Gazzetta dello Sport claims that the next Italy national team squad will be officially announced on May 30. 

Who else could play in next Italy international fixtures?

Spalletti has plenty of choices to pick from at centre-back: Acerbi’s Inter teammate Alessandro Bastoni is a guarantee if fit and available, as is Alessandro Buongiorno, who is targeting a return from injury for the final game of Napoli’s season. 

The same is also true for Riccardo Calafiori, who has recently returned from injury at Arsenal. 

Napoli’s Giovanni Di Lorenzo is a regular under Spalletti, and is most typically played on the right of a back three with the Azzurri. Juventus’s Federico Gatti is also in line to make the squad according to La Gazzetta dello Sport. 

The Pink Paper claims that Spalletti’s final centre-back choice for the June World Cup qualifiers will be one of Acerbi, Matteo Gabbia or Pietro Comuzzo.