Arsenal have been dealt a major injury scare after Riccardo Calafiori was forced off during Italy's victory against France in the Nations League last night. <br /><br />The defender, a £42million summer signing at the Emirates, suffered a freak blow to his ankle after Ousmane Dembele landed on him, having been tackled himself.<br /><br />Italy's Alessandro Bastoni won the ball from the winger but caught him on the follow-through with Dembele's flailing leg subsequently connecting with Calafiori.<br /><br /><br />Calafiori played just over an hour of the showdown at the Parc des Princes but was removed by medics shortly after the incident with the visitors leading 3-1.<br /><br />In scenes that will have worried Mikel Arteta, the full-back had looked in significant pain while on the floor as his visibly concerned teammates gathered around him. <br /><br />However, Italy boss Luciano Spalletti alleviated fears he was set for a lengthy spell on the treatment table and revealed he could even return against Israel on Monday.<br /><br />'We need to assess Riccardo but with our staff, we have a good chance to have him back with us for the next game,' Spalletti told reporters.<br /><br />Calafiori has made two appearances for Arsenal since joining the Serie A club Bologna, after being introduced as a second-half substitute against Aston Villa and Brighton. <br /><br />Arsenal returned from the international break against fierce rivals, such as Tottenham. <br /><br />They will be without midfield anchor Declan Rice, who will miss out through suspension after his sending off last weekend following a bizarre incident.<br /><br />Mikel Merino is also out due to an injury sustained during his first training session. <br /><br />Italy fell behind after Bradley Barcola's breakthrough in Paris last night but they rallied back to win 3-1, their first victory over France in the capital in 70 years.<br /><br />Incredibly, Barcola's goal after just 14 seconds was the fastest conceded in Italy's history, the winger having curled into the net after a sloppy defensive error. <br /><br />Federico Dimarco, Davide Frattesi, and Giacomo Raspadori were on target for the Azzurri, who were knocked out of Euro 2024 in the last-16 earlier this summer.
