Player injuries double in Serie A after long international break

The long international break in September and October has raised increasing concerns about injuries in Serie A, after Genoa coach Daniele De Rossi revealed a noticeable increase in the number of players who suffered injuries during the break compared to the same period last year.

Daniele De Rossi stated: "The preliminary numbers we have indicate that the number of injuries is approaching double what we recorded during the international break last year," referring to the physical pressures faced by players, whether with their national teams or during training and friendly matches with their clubs.

According to an analysis published by "Sky Sport Italia", 21 players from Serie A clubs suffered new injuries during the break, including 15 players who were injured while with their national teams, while six others were injured during training or friendly matches with their clubs.

These figures come as the international break system is set to change starting in 2026, with the September and October windows being merged into a single period from September 21 to October 6. During this time, national teams will play four matches, instead of the two-match maximum each team could play in the previous separate windows. For comparison, the October 2025 break saw only seven injuries recorded.

At the club level, AC Milan tops the list of teams with the most international player minutes, with a total of 2,624 minutes, followed by Atalanta with 2,427 minutes, then Inter with 2,343 minutes, Napoli with 2,094 minutes, Torino with 1,944 minutes, Juventus with 1,772 minutes, Bologna with 1,699 minutes, Genoa with 1,630 minutes, Como with 1,588 minutes, and Frosinone with 1,405 minutes.

SSC Napoli has recorded the highest number of injuries among the mentioned clubs, with three players affected: Antonio Vergara, Mathías Olivera, and Costantino Favasuli. Two players from Genoa and Frosinone have also been injured, while there is one injury each for AC Milan, Atalanta, Torino, Juventus, Como, Udinese, Sassuolo, and SS Lazio.

One of the most notable cases is Emil Holm of Bologna, who suffered an injury to the hamstring tendon of his right thigh that required surgical intervention, with expectations of being sidelined for several months until February or March 2027. Additionally, Pervis Estupiñán of AC Milan is dealing with a sprain in his right knee, while Giacomo Raspadori of Atalanta has sustained a muscle injury in his right thigh.

In contrast, no new injuries have been reported for Inter, Roma, Fiorentina, Cagliari, Lecce, Monza, Venezia, and Parma in the tally recorded by the report during the break, despite the varying number of minutes played by their international players.

These figures highlight the physical challenge faced by Serie A clubs as competitions resume, amid the pressure of international matches and a long break, with concerns over the continued rise in injuries and their impact on team readiness in the coming weeks.