Roberto Mancini said he won’t be making “experiments” ahead of Euro 2020, so the short-list for the squad of 23 is already taking shape.
The Azzurri secured their spot as top seeds in the draw for the tournament, which will take place on November 30, thanks to a 100 per cent record in qualifying.
They can make it a complete set with Monday’s final match against Armenia in Palermo.
Roberto Mancini said he won’t be making “experiments” ahead of Euro 2020, so the short-list for the squad of 23 is already taking shape.
The Azzurri secured their spot as top seeds in the draw for the tournament, which will take place on November 30, thanks to a 100 per cent record in qualifying.
They can make it a complete set with Monday’s final match against Armenia in Palermo.
Mancini commented this week that he does not plan “experiments” or predict many new entries to the side in the build-up to the competition next summer.
This means the squad is already relatively predictable, with only a few slots yet to be filled in defence, goal and attack.
It’s a strong group, with Gianluigi Donnarumma of Milan and Torino’s Salvatore Sirigu as first and second choice, as Pierluigi Gollini and Alex Meret battle for the third spot.
In defence, Alessandro Florenzi can’t get playing time at Roma, but remains first choice right-back for Italy, with Emerson Palmieri and Leonardo Spinazzola on the left.
Leonardo Bonucci and Francesco Acerbi are sure of their places at centre-back, while if he recovers in time from a torn anterior cruciate ligament, then Giorgio Chiellini will also feature.
The remaining two places are a battle between Torino’s Armando Izzo and Napoli’s Giovanni Di Lorenzo, are both are capable of playing at right-back or in central defence, with Gianluca Mancini and Alessio Romagnoli tussling for another position.
Italy’s midfield is an abundance of riches and the choices seem set in stone already, with Nicolò Barella and Stefano Sensi of Inter, Jorginho, Marco Verratti, Roma’s Nicolò Zaniolo and Brescia teenager Sandro Tonali.
Upfront, all the spots are also taken, as Andrea Belotti and Ciro Immobile continue to rotate as centre-forward, Lorenzo Insigne and Federico Chiesa are on the left, with Federico Bernardeschi and Lorenzo Pellegrini open to varying roles.
The only striker likely to push his way in before Euro 2020 is Moise Kean, depending on his playing time at Everton, while it depends on how well Mario Balotelli does at Brescia.
Probable Italy squad for Euro 2020
Goalkeepers: G Donnarumma (Milan), Meret (Napoli), Sirigu (Torino)
Defenders: Acerbi (Lazio), Bonucci (Juventus), Chiellini (Juventus), Di Lorenzo (Napoli), Emerson Palmieri (Chelsea), Florenzi (Roma), Romagnoli (Milan), Spinazzola (Roma)
Midfielders: Barella (Inter), Jorginho (Chelsea), Sensi (Inter), Tonali (Brescia), Verratti (PSG), Zaniolo (Roma)
Forwards: Belotti (Torino), Bernardeschi (Juventus), Chiesa (Fiorentina), Immobile (Lazio), Insigne (Napoli), Pellegrini (Roma)