Dybala included in Argentina's preliminary Olympics squad
Argentina coach Gerardo Martino has included a few surprise names in his preliminary squad for Rio 2016.
Paulo Dybala has been named in Argentina's preliminary squad for the 2016 Olympic Games, despite the forward admitting Juventus would not give him permission to compete in Rio de Janeiro.
Dybala was left out of Argentina's 23-man squad for next month's Copa America Centenario despite scoring 23 goals in all competitions for Juve this season.
The 22-year-old was expected to play for Argentina at Rio 2016 instead, however, Dybala revealed on Sunday that Juve would not allow him to go to the Olympics, with the tournament coinciding with the start of the 2016-17 Serie A campaign.
Despite that, Argentina coach Gerardo Martino has named Dybala in his 35-man preliminary squad, along with Inter captain Mauro Icardi.
Atletico Madrid's Luciano Vietto and Sao Paulo's Jonathan Calleri were also included, while Everton's Ramiro Funes Mori and Villarreal's Mateo Musacchio make up two of the three permitted over-23 players.
Another surprise name is Giovanni Simeone - son of Atletico Madrid coach Diego - who has only ever played for Argentina at under-20 level.
Martino must trim the squad to 18 by the cut-off date of July 14, including four reserve players.
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Argentina have been drawn in Group D for the Olympics - which begins on August 4 - alongside Portugal, Honduras and Algeria.
Argentina squad in full:
Goalkeepers: Augusto Batalla (River Plate), Geronimo Rulli (Real Sociedad), Ezequiel Unsain (Newell's Old Boys), Axel Werner (Atletico de Rafaela)
Defenders: Victor Cuesta (Independiente), Lautaro Gianetti (Velez Sarsfield), Jose Luis Gomez (Lanus), Jonatan Maidana (River Plate), Emanuel Mammana (River Plate), Ramiro Funes Mori (Everton), Mateo Musacchio (Villarreal), Victor Salazar (Rosario Central), Jonathan Silva (Boca Juniors), Alexis Soto (Banfield), Leandro Vega (River Plate)
Midfielders: Santiago Ascacibar (Estudiantes), Franco Cevi (Rosario Central), Joaquin Correa (Sampdoria), Matias Kranevitter (Atletico Madrid), Manuel Lanzini (West Ham), Giovani Lo Celso (Rosario Central), Mauricio Martinez (Union de Santa Fe), Leandro Paredes (Empoli), Emiliano Rigoni (Independiente), Lucas Romero (Cruzeiro), Ivan Rossi (Banfield)
Forwards: Martin Benitez (Independiente), Jonathan Calleri (Sao Paulo), Angel Correa (Atletico Madrid), Paulo Dybala (Juventus), Christian Espinoza (Huracan), Mauro Icardi (Inter), Cristian Pavon (Boca Juniors), Giovanni Simeone (Banfield), Luciano Vietto (Atletico Madrid)