Injured captain Mat Ryan will go to Asian Cup along with veteran striker Bruno Fornaroli

A facial injury hasn’t impacted the Socceroos captain’s availability for the Asian Cup, with a red-hot goalscorer also earning a recall.

Bruno Fornaroli is celebrating his return to the Socceroos. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Socceroos coach Graham Arnold is confident injured captain Mat Ryan will be fit for Australia’s opening Asian Cup match next month, naming the goalkeeper in a squad that also includes red-hot A-League goalscorer Bruno Fornaroli.

As was reported on Thursday by News Corp Australia, Fornaroli, 36, has been rewarded for his superb A-League form for Melbourne Victory with selection in the 26-player squad for the tournament to be held in Qatar.

The Uruguay-born marksman made two appearances for the Socceroos last year after gaining Australian citizenship but wasn’t selected for the 2022 World Cup.

“Bruno’s had a fantastic start to the season and it’s very hard to ignore,” Arnold said of the evergreen attacker, who has scored 12 goals in eight A-League appearances this season.

📋 Bound for Qatar! ✈️🇶🇦

Graham Arnold has named his 26-player squad for our #AsianCup2023 campaign! 💪

📰 Read more: https://t.co/n50HYXgmCc#Socceroospic.twitter.com/ZMc52e7Fgp

— Subway Socceroos (@Socceroos) December 21, 2023

“That’s the type of form that you want from all the players in and around (the squad) to be selected for the Socceroos.

“Bruno’s done a fantastic job and he fully deserves his selection. He definitely gives you something different.”

Fornaroli’s inclusion has come at the expense of Melbourne City star Jamie Maclaren, who last month scored a hat-trick off the bench for the Socceroos in their 7-0 thrashing of Bangladesh at AAMI Park.

“Jamie was the first one to admit that maybe Bruno’s in better form than him at the moment,” Arnold said.

“Jamie’s got a great future with us. He’s been fantastic for me over the last five years.

“I explained to him that I wanted to take for this Asian Cup two senior No.9s (Fornaroli and Mitch Duke) and two younger No.9s (Kusini Yengi and John Iredale) because I’m looking at the future as well, and Jamie was very understanding of that.

“He’s been fighting a bit of an ankle injury as everyone knows, and it’s good that he now can just focus on getting that right and playing club football for Melbourne City and getting himself ready for the future.”

Maclaren’s City teammate Mathew Leckie was also left out of the squad because of knee and hamstring injuries he has suffered in recent months.

“`Lecks’ was keen to come but I just feel that the last six months ‘Lecks’ has had with injuries, coming back and then (getting) injured again, it’s better that he stays with his club and gets rid of the stress of having to try to get fit to play for us.

“The most important thing for me is he gets his body right, and he gets a rhythm and routine of training every day, playing and then getting himself ready for (Australia’s two World Cup qualifiers against) Lebanon in March.”

However, Arnold had no qualms about selecting skipper Ryan, who is recovering from a fractured cheekbone he suffered during a training session with his Dutch club AZ Alkmaar.

“With the information I’m getting from medical team, and Maty’s bought a beautiful mask, I do believe he’ll be fine,” Arnold said.

“Maty’s always someone that’s completely focused and ready for those types of things.”

Arnold said it was unlikely Ryan would play in pre-tournament friendly against Bahrain.

“But I imagine he could be ready for the India (Asian Cup) game (on January 13),” the Socceroos coach said.

Socceroos captain Mat Ryan is nursing a fractured cheekbone. Picture: X

Australia’s other two keepers in the squad are Adelaide United’s Joe Gauci and Western Sydney’s Lawrence Thomas, with Fornaroli and Melbourne City left-back Aziz Behich lifting the squad’s A-League contingent to four.

The squad also includes three uncapped players – Iredale, midfielder Patrick Yazbek and defender Gethin Jones.

Perth-born Jones, 28, plays for English third-tier club Bolton and has represented Wales at under-17, under-19 and under-21 levels.

“He’s one we’ve had our eye on for the last couple of years,” Arnold said of Jones.

“He wasn’t hard to convince but it takes us time to get through the FIFA regulations to get him to change registration.

“He’s always wanted to play for Australia. It’s a great addition for the squad.”

Italy-based Alessandro Circati wasn’t chosen, with Arnold hoping that will enhance the chances of the 20-year-old defender’s Italian club Parma releasing him in April for the Under-23 Asian Cup, in which the Olyroos must finish in the top three to guarantee themselves qualification for next year’s Paris Olympics.

“We’ve had to be strategic with some of our selections, considering our Olympic qualification commences in April and have looked to balance the age profile and experience of players across various positions in the squad,” he said.

Socceroos squad: Nathaniel Atkinson, Keanu Baccus, Aziz Behich, Jordy Bos, Martin Boyle. Cameron Burgess, Thomas Deng, Mitch Duke, Bruno Fornaroli, Joe Gauci, Craig Goodwin, John Iredale, Jackson Irvine, Gethin Jones, Riley McGree, Connor Metcalfe, Lewis Miller, Aiden O’Neill, Kye Rowles, Mat Ryan, Sam Silvera, Harry Souttar, Lawrence Thomas, Marco Tilio, Patrick Yazbek, Kusini Yengi.

Originally published as Injured captain Mat Ryan will go to Asian Cup along with veteran striker Bruno Fornaroli