Uncapped Berardi pulls out of Italy squad with injury

Posted October 05, 2015 7:00 am

The Associated Press

FLORENCE, Italy (AP) - 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.

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.

Antonio Conte, coach of the Italian national soccer team, leads a training session ahead of Saturday's Euro 2016 qualifying match against Azerbaijan, at the Coverciano center, near Florence, Italy, Monday, Oct. 5, 2015. (Maurizio Degl'Innocenti/ANSA via AP) The Associated Press

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