Injured Verratti close to return for Italy at Euro 2020

Rome (AFP) – Italy midfielder Marco Verratti is close to regaining fitness after missing his country’s opening Euro 2020 match with a knee problem, the team’s medical chief said on Sunday.

Paris Saint-Germain’s Verratti sat out Italy’s 3-0 win on Friday against Turkey, but has returned to training this weekend.

The team are now hopeful the 28-year-old could be fit for the final Group A games against the Swiss on Wednesday and Wales four days later.

“Verratti’s recovery programme is going ahead as established without problems,” Andrea Ferretti, the Italian team’s chief doctor, told a press conference on Sunday.

“There are still three days left and there is still the so-called ‘last mile’ to go, the most demanding one.”

Verratti played for 20 minutes on Saturday in a game with the Pescara youth team.

“Yesterday we included him in a match, today the last mile begins, the most important one, that is the work together with the team,” continued Ferretti. 

“We hope that everything continues as it has gone so far.”

Meanwhile, defender Alessandro Florenzi should be back training on Monday after pulling a calf muscle in the game against Turkey.