Mancini Considers Calling Luiz Felipe To Join The Italian National Team

Italy coach, Roberto Mancini reportedly wants to call Lazio's Brazilian defender Luiz Felipe to join the Azzurri.  The player had turned down the opportunity several years ago.

As reported by the Italian newspaper, La Gazetta dello Sport, Azzurri coach Roberto Mancini is considering new thoughts about his team's playoff matches in the World Cup qualifiers that will take place in March and one of them is 24-year-old Brazilian defender, Luiz Felipe.

Luiz Felipe, who already has two nationalities, previously received a call from Luigi Di Biagio to play for the Italy U-21 national team in 2019, but he refused the invitation.

At that time, the 24-year-old Biancoceleste defender asked for forgiveness and admitted that he wanted to try to be called up by the Brazilian national team.  But so far the expected invitation has not arrived, Mancini may be able to convince the defender to accept Azzurri's invitation and join team-mates Ciro Immobile and Francesco Acerbi in the squad.

If in the end, the defender decides to accept Italy's offer, then he could be part of the squad at the end of January assuming all the bureaucratic matters have been resolved.  Meanwhile, the defender has just helped Lazio beat Lokomotiv Moscow 3-0 in the Europa League and is now focusing on their next match against Napoli in Serie A.