Italy called another 14 players to face Albania, including Stefano Okaka, Francesco Acerbi, Domenico Criscito and Stefano Sturaro.
Italy called another 14 players to face Albania, including Stefano Okaka, Francesco Acerbi, Domenico Criscito and Stefano Sturaro.
Coach Antonio Conte named the new group of players who will be added to the current crop for Tuesday’s international friendly in Genoa.
These include some absolute newcomers to the senior Azzurri set-up, such as Sampdoria” data-scaytid=”10″>Sampdoria striker Okaka, Cagliari” data-scaytid=”12″>Cagliari defender Luca Rossettini and Genoa midfielder Stefano Sturaro.
There are also several returning veterans, including Genoa winger Luca Antonelli, Zenit defender Mimmo Criscito and Genoa forward Alessandro Matri.
Samp hitman Manolo Gabbiadini is also brought in, while it’s a special call-up for Sassuolo defender Acerbi.
Acerbi had already been called up in August and September 2012, but never actually played.
Since then he has been twice diagnosed with testicular cancer and after a year out returned to playing regularly this season.
These new players will join the Italy group by midnight on Sunday in Milan, before travelling to Genoa for the game.
Italy play Croatia in a Euro 2016 qualifier on Sunday evening, a tie for which Leonardo Bonucci is suspended.
Additional Italy players:
Acerbi (Sassuolo), Bonucci (Juventus), Rossettini (Cagliari); Antonelli (Genoa), Aquilani (Fiorentina), Criscito (Zenit), De Silvestri (Sampdoria), Maggio (Napoli), Poli (Milan), Sturaro (Genoa); Destro (Roma), Gabbiadini (Sampdoria), Matri (Genoa), Okaka (Sampdoria)