Key defender Acerbi turns down Italy call-up ahead of World Cup qualifier vs. Haaland's Norway
FLORENCE, Italy (AP) — Key center back Francesco Acerbi turned down a call-up to Italy's national team, leaving the Azzurri without the defender who was expected to mark Erling Haaland during a key World Cup qualifier against Norway.
Italy coach Luciano Spalletti revealed Sunday that Acerbi called him after playing for Inter Milan in the Champions League final, which was won 5-0 by Paris Saint-Germain on Saturday.
'He sent me a message saying he wasn't going to take part and I responded and then talked to him by phone,' Spalletti said. 'There are players who deserve to be here just as much as he does.'
Italy visits Norway on Friday and then hosts Moldova three days later.
'Whether we go to the World Cup or not depends a lot on how we play in Norway,' Spalletti said. 'We all know it.'
Italy has failed to qualify for the last two World Cups.
Alessandro Buongiorno, another defender, was sent home injured Sunday and replaced by Luca Ranieri of Fiorentina.
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
PSG celebrate historic UCL triumph at Parc des Princes
Who has the advantage in UEFA Champions League Final? | The Cooligans Yahoo Sports contributors Christian Polanco and Alexis Guerreros preview the UEFA Champions League Final matchup between Paris Saint Germain and Inter Milan and give their predictions on who will come out victorious. Hear the full conversation on the 'The Cooligans' podcast - and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you listen. 2:30 Now Playing Paused Ad Playing
Digital Trends
2 hours ago
- Digital Trends
Astronaut's video shows aurora burst into life over Earth
In case it's escaped your attention, there's been a surge of interest in aurora just recently after a powerful geomagnetic storm — caused by a huge blast from the sun — reached Earth at the beginning of this month. Aurora occur when charged particles from the solar wind interact with Earth's magnetic field and atmosphere, leading to the formation of spectacular ribbons of light in the upper atmosphere. The best place to view aurora are from locations within or close to the Arctic Circle, with parts of Norway, Sweden, and Canada particularly famous for offering stunning views. Recommended Videos The International Space Station (ISS), 250 miles above Earth, is also an ideal spot to view the dramatic light show, although admittedly the facility is out of bounds for most of us. One lucky inhabitant, NASA astronaut Anne McClain, has just shared a breathtaking video (below) showing an aurora burst into life as the space station orbited Earth. 'Auroras from space always draw crewmembers to the Cupola,' McClain said, referencing the seven-window module that offers the station's best views of Earth and beyond. 'I love how this one illuminated our Dragon [spacecraft], and I also love the dance of satellites on the left in the latter part of the video. It's interesting how the aurora creeps along the top of the atmosphere as it comes up over the horizon.' Having witnessed the sublime beauty of this particular aurora, McClain said that she's now 'added traveling to see auroras from Earth to my bucket list!' Auroras from space always draw crewmembers to the Cupola. I love how this one illuminated our Dragon, and I also love the dance of satellites on the left in the latter part of the video. It's interesting how the aurora creeps along the top of the atmosphere as it comes up over… — COL Anne McClain (@AstroAnnimal) June 2, 2025 NASA astronauts staying aboard the ISS for up to half a year are pretty much guaranteed to witness at least one aurora. For many of them, it can be the most memorable moment during their time in orbit. Jasmin Moghbeli, who returned from the ISS last year, said after witnessing an aurora: 'Every single time I'm amazed at how alive and beautiful our planet is.' And check out this remarkable image of an aurora, captured in 2023 by the now-retired NASA astronaut Scott Kelly, who described the phenomenon as 'absolutely unreal.'
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Barcelona stars Lamine Yamal & Raphinha's updated Ballon d'Or odds after PSG's UCL triumph
An update on the chances of one of Barcelona pair Lamine Yamal and Raphinha lifting this year's Ballon d'Or has been forthcoming online. And the info points towards the hopes of the pair beginning to fade. Advertisement The subject of the Ballon d'Or race has of course taken its place front and centre in the chatter across Europe once more over recent days. This comes after Paris Saint-Germain secured the club's first-ever title in the Champions League. Ousmane Dembélé, who was already considered as being amongst the frontrunners to lift the 'Golden Ball', played a starring role in the Munich showcase, notching a pair of assists en route to a 5-0 drubbing of Inter Milan. And if the latest word stemming from the media is anything to go by, then such exploits appear to have put Dembélé in prime position to be named world football's best player. Advertisement As per French outlet Actu Foot, citing the latest bookmakers' odds, PSG's in-form frontman is now considered as having a 66% chance of winning the Ballon d'Or' Lamine Yamal, meanwhile, sits some way back in 2nd on 27%, with Barcelona teammate Raphinha rounding out the top-3, joining Mohamed Salah on 9% odds. Conor Laird – GSFN
