ROME: Italy’s Leonardo Spinazzola, outstanding leftback of the Euro 2020 finals, will be out for six months after surgery on his ruptured Achilles tendon.

The 28-year-old Roma defender was injured in Friday’s Euro 2020 quarter-final win over Belgium.

He wrote on Instagram: “Operation perfectly successful. I want to thank everyone for supporting me. The countdown has started.”

Spinazzola, who had been a target for Tottenham Hotspur before his injury, underwent surgery in Finland.

On Sunday, his new club manager Jose Mourinho on Sunday rued the “terrible loss” of the player while Italian defender Leonardo Bonucci said they planned to dedicate reaching the European Championship final to their absent team-mate.

Italy play Spain in the semi-finals at Wembley on Tuesday.

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