Vergara faces bench role for Italy as Cambiaghi leads on the right

Ahead of Italy-Belgium in Rome on Friday 25 September, the contest for the right-wing spot has tilted away from the Napoli midfielder, with Zaniolo and Cambiaghi both in the running.

by Gennaro SanninoThursday 24 September, 21:00 CET· 2 hours ago

Vergara con la maglia del SSC Napoli — Foto: napolissimo.it

Italy face Belgium in Rome on Friday 25 September, and Vergara — at his first call-up with the senior national team — looks set to miss out on a starting shirt. The battle for the right-wing spot is a three-way contest with Zaniolo and Cambiaghi, and the pre-match signals point towards Cambiaghi getting the nod.

Zaniolo remains coach Mancini's first choice, but his limited minutes since the injury picked up on the opening day of the season could persuade the staff to leave him out of the starting XI, keeping him fresh for the game against Turkey. In that scenario the shirt would go to Cambiaghi, with Pio Esposito favoured over Kean up front and Maldini ahead of Raspadori on the left, where Zoma also starts from the bench. Sebastiano Esposito remains an option off the bench to add attacking presence between the lines.

For Vergara, his only start in Serie A this season remains the 2-0 win in Genoa, where he also scored. A place on the bench for Italy would not change the record of a debut that already arrived ahead of schedule.