Riccardo Calafiori has reportedly ignored Arsenal's request to remain in London during the international break to recover from a hip injury. The 23-year-old defender, a key figure in Mikel Arteta's title-chasing side, has featured in every Premier League game this season.
According to Italian newspaper La Repubblica, Arsenal wanted Calafiori to skip international duty to fully recover and avoid aggravating the issue. However, Italy manager Gennaro Gattuso and delegation chief Gianluigi Buffon urged players to prioritise the national team's World Cup qualification campaign, even if not fully fit.
Italy are second in their qualifying group behind Norway, with only the top team securing automatic qualification. The Azzurri have missed the last two World Cups and face a potential play-off. Calafiori has been training away from the squad but could feature against Norway this weekend.
Arsenal are already without several key players due to injury, including Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus, and Noni Madueke. Arteta expressed hope before the break that his international players would return healthy, with a demanding festive period ahead featuring matches against Tottenham, Bayern Munich, and Chelsea.
