Pazzini and Criscito out of Italy squad
Reuters - Tuesday 04 October 2011, 20:04
ROME - Italy striker
Giampaolo Pazzini and defender Domenico Criscito will miss
Friday's Euro 2012 Group C qualifier against Serbia through
injury, the country's football federation said on Tuesday.
Pazzini, who fought through the pain to
play in Inter Milan's 3-0 defeat by Napoli on Saturday, could be
fit for Italy's final qualifier against Northern Ireland on October 11 but left-back Criscito is out of both matches with a groin
strain.
"He [Pazzini] is suffering pain again in
his heel," national team doctor Enrico Castellacci said on the
federation's website.
"We will try to get him ready for one of the two games, that
is the one against [Northern] Ireland."
Giuseppe Rossi, who has teamed up in attack
alongside Antonio Cassano in Cesare Prandelli's recent line-ups,
is also doubtful for the trip to Serbia.
"He's got the same problem he had in
Spain," said Castellacci. "It's too early to say if he will be
fit for Friday."
Mario Balotelli and Sebastian Giovinco, along with Cassano,
are the remaining strikers in the Azzurri squad.
Italy, eight points clear in the group, have already
qualified for Euro 2012.