Italy released the squad numbers for tonight’s World Cup qualifier against Macedonia, but there’s confusion over Manolo Gabbiadini.
It kicks off in Skopje at 19.45 UK time (18.45 GMT).
The FIGC released a list of all the players who will be involved in this evening’s match, giving Marco Verratti the Number 10 jersey.
However, Napoli forward Gabbiadini is not included and there doesn’t seem to be any indication as to why.
Italy released the squad numbers for tonight’s World Cup qualifier against Macedonia, but there’s confusion over Manolo Gabbiadini.
It kicks off in Skopje at 19.45 UK time (18.45 GMT).
The FIGC released a list of all the players who will be involved in this evening’s match, giving Marco Verratti the Number 10 jersey.
However, Napoli forward Gabbiadini is not included and there doesn’t seem to be any indication as to why.
He was not carrying an injury, though perhaps news that Arkadiusz Milik is out for at least four months with a torn ACL on international duty prompted Italy to diplomatically ‘release’ Gabbiadini from the risk of another setback.
Riccardo Montolivo of Milan has already been ruled out for six months after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament during Thursday’s 1-1 draw with Spain.
The line-up for this evening’s match seems to be fairly set with Verratti pulling the strings, Alessio Romagnoli again filling in for Giorgio Chiellini – suspended against Spain and now injured – with Ciro Immobile and Andrea Belotti upfront.
The only real doubt appears to be in midfield, where Jack Bonaventura is the favourite to start.
Other options for his slot are Alessandro Florenzi and Federico Bernardeschi.
Macedonia (probable): Bogatinov; Ristovski, Mojsov, Shikov, Ristevski, Zhuta; Hasani, Ibraimi, Alioski; Pandev, Nestorovski
Italy (probable): Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Romagnoli; Candreva, Parolo, Parolo, Verratti, Bonaventura, De Sciglio; Belotti, Immobile
Italy squad for Macedonia:
1 Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), 12 Gianluigi Donnarumma (Milan), 14 Mattia Perin (Genoa); 13 Davide Astori (Fiorentina), 15 Andrea Barzagli (Juventus), 19 Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), 5 Angelo Obinze Ogbonna (West Ham), 3 Alessio Romagnoli (Milan); 21 Marco Benassi (Torino), 20 Federico Bernardeschi (Fiorentina), 7 Giacomo Bonaventura (Milan), 6 Antonio Candreva (Inter), 22 Domenico Criscito (Zenit), 4 Matteo Darmian (Manchester United), 16 Daniele De Rossi (Roma), 2 Mattia De Sciglio (Milan), 8 Alessandro Florenzi (Roma), 18 Marco Parolo (Lazio), 10 Marco Verratti (Paris Saint Germain); 23 Andrea Belotti (Torino), 17 Eder Citadin Martins (Inter), 11 Ciro Immobile (Lazio), 9 Nicola Sansone (Villarreal)