Even if he recovered after sustaining injury, Artur Ionita will not be able to help the national football team of Moldova in the November 17 friendly against Azerbaijan. The 25-year-old fullback was asked by officials of the club Hellas to remain in Italy as the team from Verona now has several injured players, IPN reports.

Hellas ranks the last but one in Series A and the team trained by Andrea Mandorlini needs the services of Ionita, who recovered after an operation for inguinal hernia.

The leader of the national football team of Moldova Alexandru Epureanu and Alexandru Gatcan will also be absent from the friendly in Baku because of injury. In the last FIFA rankings, Moldova slipped 22 spots to the weakest position in its history – 154th.