Italy doctor fires back at Como boss Cesc Fabregas in explosive Moise Kean injury row

Fabregas has voiced his significant frustration regarding the management of Kean during the recent international window. The Spanish tactician, speaking ahead of his side’s high-stakes Serie A clash against Roma, expressed deep concern over how the striker was utilized by Roberto Mancini’s side despite carrying a physical knock. Fabregas suggested that the forward's condition was aggravated by the Azzurri’s decision to keep him on the pitch for an extended period during their recent fixtures.

"He'll be out for a week or ten days. He took a knock in his first match against Belgium . Communication between the Federation and the club should improve , given that he then played 90 minutes of another match injured, as the MRI scan he had yesterday showed. Now he has to work separately," the former Arsenal and Barcelona midfielder explained.

The Italian national team was quick to defend its protocols following the public criticism from the Como dugout. Angelo De Carli, the chief medical officer for the Azzurri, issued a formal response to clarify the procedures followed by the federation’s health staff. De Carli insisted that the communication channels with club doctors are always open and active, contradicting the narrative that the Como medical department was kept in the dark regarding Kean’s specific physical state during the camp.

"To monitor the condition of the players who are called up, the national team’s medical staff constantly keep the club doctors updated, and have frequent contact with them before, during and after the training camp. That is what happened during the last international window, spanning September and October,” De Carli stated, as cited by Sky Sport Italia.

The fallout from this dispute comes at a difficult time for Fabregas, who must now navigate a crucial period of the season without his primary attacking threat. Kean’s absence is expected to last between seven and ten days, meaning he will definitely be unavailable for the high-profile encounter against Roma. The injury was confirmed via an MRI scan performed shortly after the player’s return to his club’s training facility.

Kean had previously featured against both Belgium and France during the break, but his physical condition deteriorated enough to force him out of the final match against Turkiye in Bologna. While the Italian medical staff maintain that they followed all necessary procedures, the club's diagnosis suggests a disconnect in how the severity of the initial knock was interpreted. The striker will now begin a specialized recovery program to return to full fitness.

This incident adds another chapter to the ongoing tension between club managers and national federations over the congested football calendar. The Italian national team played four matches in just eleven days during the recent window, putting immense strain on the squad. As Kean starts his rehabilitation, the focus shifts to whether the FIGC will take Fabregas’ suggestions on board to improve transparency.