Ethan Ampadu to miss Wales’ training camp in Portugal in a bid to keep Spezia in Serie A
ETHAN AMPADU will miss Wales’ warm weather training camp this week in a bid to keep Spezia in Serie A.
The Dragons are off to Portugal on Thursday to prepare for this month’s Euro 2024 double-header against Armenia and Turkey.
But Chelsea’s on-loan defender Ampadu, 22, will be involved in the relegation play-off between Spezia and Verona scheduled for Sunday in Italy.
Both clubs finished the regular Serie A season level on 31 points following final-day defeats to Roma and AC Milan.
So that means there will be a play-off for the first time since Bologna faced Parma in 2005.
The one-legged match will take place at a neutral venue with the kick-off time and stadium yet to be confirmed.
Wales have used Portugal for a number of years as their favourite warm weather training camp prior to their summer fixtures.
But Ampadu, who has 41 Welsh caps, has club commitments rather than training with his international pals.
Robert Page’s side, with four points from their opening Group D fixtures against Croatia and Latvia in March, host Armenia in Cardiff on June 16.
Then Wales face Turkey in Samsun three days later.
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Ampadu, who joined Chelsea from Exeter in 2007, has had loan spells at RB Leipzig, Sheffield United and Venezia before his second stint in Italy.
He signed a new three-year contract with the Blues in 2021.