Domenico Berardi suffered a season-ending injury in Sassuolo’s away defeat against Hellas Verona on Sunday and is expected to miss Euro 2024 with Italy, so how can Luciano Spalletti replace the 29-year-old in Germany?
Berardi was forced off the pitch at minute 60 at the Stadio Bentegodi in Verona, suddenly falling to the ground in pain.
He was immediately replaced by Samu Castillejo and the first updates from Verona are anything but comforting for new Sassuolo coach Davide Ballardini and Italy CT Spalletti.
“Berardi is important for us but also for Italian football, so this goes beyond Sassuolo, so I am really sad. In just a few days, I could see his quality,” Ballardini told DAZN after the game on Sunday.
If, as expected, it will be confirmed that Berardi suffered an Achilles tendon injury, he will be sidelined for at least six months. It is a rare injury in football that is already sadly familiar to Italian football fans. Leonardo Spinazzola suffered the same injury in 2021 during a quarter-final tie against Belgium in the European Championship and returned to action 10 months later with Roma.
Berardi started three Italy games from six under Spalletti, missing the other three due to minor injuries. He was expected to be a starter on the right wing at the 2024 Euros but the Azzurri CT will probably have to change his plans.
Nicolò Zaniolo and Matteo Politano are two possible replacements on the right wing, but Spalletti will have other options too. Bologna winger Riccardo Orsolini, one of the most prolific Italian players in Serie A this term, has made three appearances under Spalletti, while Raoul Bellanova hasn’t yet made his senior Azzurri debut but a recent report from Tuttosport claimed the ex-Cagliari and Inter right wing-back could be called up for the next games against Venezuela and Ecuador.
Bellanova plays as a right wing-back in a 3-5-2 system at Torino but can be deployed in a more attacking role if needed.
Other players, such as Federico Chiesa, Stephan El Shaarawy and Mattia Zaccagni, mainly play as left-wingers but can also be used on the right. The same goes for Wilfried Gnonto or Giacomo Raspadori even if the Leeds and Napoli strikers are expected to be deployed in a central position by Spalletti, if called up for the Euros.
Berardi has scored eight goals in 28 appearances with Italy and started five games from seven at Euro 2020, including a Final against England at Wembley Stadium, ending with the Azzurri’s victory on penalties.