Juventus midfielder Claudio Marchisio will miss Italy's World Cup qualifiers against Ireland on Saturday and Cyprus on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
"The player cannot recover in time for the Cyprus match and he'll go back to his club tomorrow," Italy's team doctor Enrico Castellacci told reporters on Thursday.
He said Juve's medical team would asses whether the midfielder needs surgery.
Italy need a draw in Ireland to qualify for next year's World Cup as Group Eight winners. If they lose in Dublin, they can clinch a place at the finals in South Africa by beating Cyprus in Parma.