De Zerbi concerns Italy with Tonali update ahead of Liverpool vs. Tottenham
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 01: Italy international Sandro Tonali of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates scoring a goal during the Sydney Super Cup match between Chelsea FC and Tottenham at Accor Stadium on August 01, 2026 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)
Roberto De Zerbi has confirmed that Sandro Tonali will not be available to feature for Tottenham in their EFL Cup third-round tie against Liverpool on Wednesday, which comes as a slight concern for the Italy national team, whose squad for the upcoming international break is set to be announced later this week.
Tottenham are due to take on Liverpool at Anfield in the third round of the EFL Cup on Wednesday night, but head coach De Zerbi has confirmed that he will have to do without the most expensive Italian footballer of all-time.
Tonali ‘felt a knock’ and will not be risked against Liverpool in the cup, De Zerbi has confirmed.
The former Milan midfielder did not feature in Tottenham’s previous EFL cup fixture, a 5-1 victory over Championship side Charlton Athletic, but has started in all four Premier League matches in 2026-27 and has played the full 90 minutes in three of those fixtures.
Assuming that he is still fit enough to feature, Tonali is a nailed-on candidate to be included in Roberto Mancini’s first Italy national team squad of the season, his first since being re-appointed as CT earlier this summer.
The Italy national team squad is due to be announced on Friday.
There could be a return for Italy’s Destiny Udogie when Tottenham take on Liverpool on Wednesday night. The left-back did not feature in the Premier League over the weekend, and has earned just two starts so far this season, once in the league against Nottingham Forest and once in the previous round of the cup against Charlton.
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