Gilardino and Pazzini recalled for Italy qualifiers
MILAN - Forwards Alberto Gilardino and Giampaolo Pazzini were recalled to the Italy squad on Saturday for the Euro 2012 qualifiers against Estonia and Faroe Islands.
The duo, part of the squad which flopped at the World Cup under Marcello Lippi, were omitted from new coach Cesare Prandelli's first squad for the friendly defeat by Ivory Coast this month but return with Amauri and Mario Balotelli injured.
Prandelli has also handed first call-ups to Parma defender Luca Antonelli, Palermo centre-back Cesare Bovo, Sampdoria defender Daniele Gastaldello and Fiorentina fullback Lorenzo De Silvestri.
AC Milan striker Marco Borriello is a surprise exclusion for their opening Group C games in Tallinn next Friday and against the Faroes in Florence on Septembe 7.
Milan left-back Luca Antonini and new Juventus right-back Marco Motta have also been left out along with Davide Astori and Stefano Lucchini after the four were surprisingly called up for the 1-0 Ivory Coast defeat.
Salvatore Sirigu looks poised to keep his place in goal with Gianluigi Buffon still out after back surgery and Federico Marchetti suffering from a niggle and in conflict with club Cagliari.
Andrea Pirlo, a 2006 World Cup winner who also featured in June's debacle in South Africa, returns to the squad after finding full fitness but there is again no place for former stalwarts Antonio Di Natale and Gianluca Zambrotta.
Goalkeepers: Antonio Mirante (Parma), Salvatore Sirigu (Palermo), Emiliano Viviano (Bologna)
Get FourFourTwo Newsletter
The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.
Defenders: Luca Antonelli (Parma), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Cesare Bovo (Palermo), Mattia Cassani (Palermo), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Lorenzo De Silvestri (Fiorentina), Daniele Gastaldello (Sampdoria), Cristian Molinaro (VfB Stuttgart)
Midfielders: Daniele De Rossi (Roma), Andrea Lazzari (Cagliari), Claudio Marchisio (Juventus), Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina), Angelo Palombo (Sampdoria), Andrea Pirlo (AC Milan)
Forwards: Antonio Cassano (Sampdoria), Alberto Gilardino (Fiorentina), Giampaolo Pazzini (Sampdoria), Simone Pepe (Juventus), Fabio Quagliarella (Juventus), Giuseppe Rossi (Villarreal).