Football
ESPN staff 8y

Italy's Andrea Pirlo to miss Azerbaijan clash with hamstring injury

New York City FC midfielder Andrea Pirlo has been ruled out of Italy's penultimate European Championship qualifier against Azerbaijan on Saturday with a hamstring injury sustained in training.

Pirlo, 36, will miss the Group H clash in Baku, although head coach Antonio Conte is hopeful the veteran will be fit in time for Tuesday's potentially decisive home match against qualification rivals Norway.

"He went in to a tackle and made a strange movement, and won't be fit to play," Conte said. "We hope we'll have him fit in time for Norway."

Pirlo, a World Cup winner in 2006, became the first Major League Soccer player to ever feature for the Azzurri when he played in September's 1-0 win over Malta. His absence means Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Marco Verratti is set to step in as Italy aim to confirm their place in France for next year's finals.

The 1968 European champions, who were also runners-up in 2000 and 2012, have a four-point lead over Croatia, with the head-to-head level. As Croatia have a far superior goal difference, Italy need one victory from the trip to Azerbaijan and the home game against Norway to be certain of qualifying.

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