Italy national team coach Luciano Spalletti has named a squad of 29 players for the upcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers against North Macedonia and Ukraine in November.
Spalletti has handed first call-ups to two players, namely Juventus left-back Andrea Cambiaso and Monza midfielder Andera Colpani.
Sandro Tonali is unavailable to the Azzurri for the first time since confirmation of his 8-month ban. He is replaced by Colpani and Arsenal’s Jorginho.
Italy are due to play North Macedonia next Friday at the Stadio Olimpico, before travelling to Germany to face Ukraine at the BayArena, regular home of Bayer Leverkusen the following Monday.
Italy currently sit in third in Group C, three points behind Ukraine, but with a game in hand. Even with a win against North Macedonia, the Azzurri will likely need to avoid defeat against Ukraine in their final game of the groups if they are to qualify automatically.
Italy squad
Goalkeepers: Gialuigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain), Alex Meret (Napoli), Ivan Provedel (Lazio), Guglielmo Vicario (Tottenham).
Defenders: Francesco Acerbi (Inter), Alessandro Bastoni (Inter), Alessandro Buongiorno (Torino), Davide Calabria (Milan), Andrea Cambiaso (Juventus), Matteo Darmian (Inter), Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli), Federico Dimarco (Inter), Federico Gatti (Juventus), Rafael Toloi (Atalanta).
Midfielders: Nicolo Barella (Inter), Giacomo Bonaventura (Fiorentina), Andrea Colpani (Monza), Bryan Cristante (Roma), Davide Frattesi (Inter), Jorginho (Arsenal), Manuel Locatelli (Juventus).
Forwards: Domenico Berardi (Sassuolo), Federico Chiesa (Juventus), Stephan El-Shaarawy (Roma), Moise Kean (Juventus), Matteo Politano (Napoli), Giacomo Raspadori (Napoli), Gianluca Scamacca (Atalanta), Nicolo Zaniolo (Aston Villa).
Happy with the squad. Would have included Tonali, Fagioli, Pellegrini and Retegui if any where available. Also Udogie and Mancini for Toloi. 2 huge games. Will be watching with everything crossed.
Grifo should be given a chance
3-5-2
Vicario
Acerbi. Bastoni. Gatti
Barella. Frattesi
Dilorenzo. Locatelli Dimarco
Chiesa. Scamacca
@Sam
Udogie? looooooooooooooooooooooool!
Probably the best he could pick given the lack of options. Italy haven’t produced a great centre-forward since the 90s.
The Ukrainian game could be an epic.
Interesting. I had no idea Darmian was on Milan.
Get ready for the play-off
Start Vicario in net
No Mancini from Roma ??
Ingsine best choice
I believe that on paper we have an excellent balanced team able to confront even the best .
What I am would like to see is a few strikers outperform themselves by being leaders and scoring.
We have a nice pick of strikers but what we need is two or three who have that vision to score .
Frank
these should be esy games but for italy it is aways a fight they will cheer when they score its okay thers the playoffs those team are beter than these 2 this is were we are now
You negative people (Like Enrico) should go away.. now is not the time to dis this time
Enrico, I’m surprised you didn’t suggest Balotelli once again.. you usually drop that washed up dud’s name every post.