Italy name squad with season yet to start
Reuters - Sunday 28 August 2011, 20:17
ROME - Italy coach Cesare Prandelli named
his second squad of the season on Sunday with Serie A still to
get under way.
Prandelli had to depend upon Europa League qualifiers,
pre-season warm-up games and this month's Supercup match between
AC Milan and Inter in Beijing as his form guide for the
home-based players who make up the bulk of the squad.
Fiorentina striker Alberto Gilardino and Cagliari defender
Davide Astori were recalled for the Euro 2012 qualifiers against
the Faroe Islands and Slovenia.
The pair missed this month's friendly against European and
world champions Spain, which Italy won 2-1.
Italy visit the Faroe Islands on Friday and host Slovenia
four days later in Euro Group C which they lead with 16 points
from six games, five ahead of Slovenia.
Serie A was due to start on Saturday but was delayed after
the players went on strike. The walkout does not affect
international matches or European club games.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Morgan De Sanctis
(Napoli), Salvatore Sirigu (Paris Saint-Germain)
Defenders: Davide Astori (Cagliari), Federico Balzaretti
(Palermo), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Mattia Cassani
(Fiorentina), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Domenico Criscito
(Zenit St Petersburg), Christian Maggio (Napoli), Andrea
Ranocchia (Inter Milan)
Midfielders: Alberto Aquilani (AC Milan), Daniele De Rossi
(Roma), Claudio Marchisio (Juventus), Riccardo Montolivo
(Fiorentina), Thiago Motta (Inter Milan), Antonio Nocerino
(Palermo), Andrea Pirlo (Juventus)
Forwards: Mario Balotelli (Manchester City), Antonio Cassano
(AC Milan), Alberto Gilardino (Fiorentina), Sebastian Giovinco
(Parma), Giampaolo Pazzini (Inter Milan), Giuseppi Rossi
(Villarreal).