As the European Championship draws near, over the past week-end Azzurri coach Cesare Prandelli revealed his preliminary list of 32 players from which the final 23 who will be making the trip to Poland/Ukraine this Summer.

There were several surprises, such as newcomers Mattia Destro (Siena), Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus), and Ezequiel Schelotto (Atalanta), but also “old-timers” who despite their vast amount of experience have not featured yet under Prandelli’s reign: Rubin Kazan defender Salvatore Bocchetti, Bologna’s Alessandro Diamanti, and Udinese veteran Antonio Di Natale.

The biggest surprise however comes perhaps from a man currently plying his trade in Serie B: Pescara’s Marco Verratti. Often categorized as “the new Pirlo” by his fans, the player is under heavy talk of a transfer to Juventus next season, and altough many doubts remain at his inclusion in Prandelli’s final list of 23, he could provide that “fresh spark” which has been somewhat missing from the Azzurri during the past few years.

Marco Verratti

Torino defender Angelo Ogbonna, another Serie B alumnus, also made the list.

Notable exclusions feature Inter’s Gianpaolo Pazzini & Genoa’s Alberto Gilardino (both of which haven’t exactly had great seasons), Roma’s Pablo Daniel Osvaldo (who had featured in practically all of Prandelli’s call-ups so far and had a decent year with Roma, at least initially), as well as Juventus players Alessandro Matri (who dropped in form since the new year) and Simone Pepe.

In addition, goalkeeper Federico Marchetti was left out in favor of Emiliano Viviano, Salvatore Sirigu and Morgan De Sanctis, to provide back-up for the irreplaceable Gigi Buffon.

Not to mention of course, Giuseppe Rossi, who will spend all Summer sidelined with a knee ligament injury. A real shame for “Pepito”, who would have certainly made the trip otherwise.

★ ★ ★ ★

The final list of 23 players, as per UEFA regulations, will be unveiled by a FIGC press release within 12:00pm on May 29th.

 

Goalkeepers:	Club:
Gianluigi BUFFON	Juventus
Morgan DE SANCTIS	Napoli
Salvatore SIRIGU	Paris SG
Emiliano VIVIANO	Palermo
Defenders:
Ignazio ABATE	AC Milan
Davide ASTORI	Cagliari
Federico BALZARETTI	Palermo
Andrea BARZAGLI	Juventus
Salvtore BOCCHETTI	Rubin Kazan
Leonardo BONUCCI	Juventus
Giorgio CHIELLINI	Juventus
Domenico CRISCITO	Zenit
Christian MAGGIO	Napoli
Angelo OGBONNA	Torino
Andrea RANOCCHIA	Inter
Midfielders:
Luca CIGARINI	Atalanta
Daniele DE ROSSI	Roma
Alessandro DIAMANTI	Bologna
Emanuele GIACCHERINI	Juventus
Claudio MARCHISIO	Juventus
Riccardo MONTOLIVO	Fiorentina
THIAGO MOTTA	Paris SG
Antonio NOCERINO	AC Milan
Andrea PIRLO	Juventus
Ezequiel SCHELOTTO	Atalanta
Marco VERRATTI	Pescara
Forwards:
Mario BALOTELLI	Man City
Fabio BORINI	Roma
Antonio CASSANO	AC Milan
Mattia DESTRO	Siena
Antonio DI NATALE	Udinese
Sebastian GIOVINCO	Parma

 

Tags: Alessandro Diamanti, Angelo Ogbonna, Antonio Di Natale, Azzurri, Cesare Prandelli, Emanuele Giaccherini, Euro 2012, Ezequiel Schelotto, Italy, Marco Verratti, Mattia Destro, Salvatore Bocchetti

Posted in Azzurri, Euro 2012 |

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