Blucerchiati on international duty

The international break is upon us once again and there are a host of Sampdoria players ready to fly the flag for their respective national teams all over the world.

Luis Muriel is in the Colombia squad for two crunch matches in their Russia 2018 qualification campaign. Los Cafeteros, who are currently in fourth place behind Brazil, Uruguay and Ecuador, will take on Chile in Barranquilla on 10 November before facing off against Argentina in San Juan five days later.

It promises to be a thrilling couple of games for Jose Pekerman’s men, as both Chile and Argentina are hot on their heels in the race for a qualification spot.

Karol Linetty’s Poland will also be in World Cup 2018 qualification action, as they travel to Bucharest to play Romania on 11 November (20:45 CET kick-off). Adam Nawalka’s team are currently joint-top of their group with Montenegro. Poland will then play Slovenia in a friendly in Wroclaw on 14 November (19:45 CET kick-off).

Patrik Schick has been named in the Czech Republic squad for their qualifier against Norway in Prague on 11 November (20:45 CET). The Czechs will then play a friendly against Denmark four days later (19:45 CET).

Milan Skriniar will link up with Slovakia as they look to pick up World Cup qualification points against Lithuania in Trnava on 11 November (20:45 CET). Slovakia will then play Austria in a friendly on 15 November, also at 20:45 CET.

Bruno Fernandes has been called up to the Portugal U21 squad for their friendlies against Czech Republic (11 November, 18:15 CET) and Holland (18:30 CET kick-off in Doetinchem).

Pedro Pereira will link up with the Portugal U19 squad for three European U19 Championship qualifiers against Bulgaria, Belarus and Denmark.

Primavera midfielder Dennis Baumgartner has been named in the Slovakia U19 squad for the Marbella Tournament, where they will be up against Belgium, Poland and Norway.

Yassin Ejjaki – a midfielder with the Primavera squad – will head to Rabat for a training camp with Morocco U18s.