Trio handed Azzurri call

Trio handed Azzurri call
(PA) Sunday 28 February 2010
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Italy coach Marcello Lippi has named three uncapped players in his 23-man squad for Wednesday's friendly against Cameroon in Monte Carlo. Palermo goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu, Bari defender Leonardo Bonucci and Cagliari midfielder Andrea Cossu have been given the chance to make their first appearance for the world champions.

AC Milan striker Marco Borriello returns to the national team after a long absence, having last received a call-up in June 2008, while Daniele Bonera, Riccardo Montolivo and Cristian Maggio also return to the fold.

Lippi has been unable to call on the injured Gianluigi Buffon, Fabio Grosso, Gianluca Zambrotta, Vincenzo Iaquinta and Gaetano D'Agostino. Villarreal striker Giuseppe Rossi and Juventus midfielder Antonio Candreva have been dropped from the squad, with Lippi turning to in-form strikers Antonio Di Natale and Giampaolo Pazzini.

Udinese's Di Natale is Serie A's top scorer with 19 goals, while Pazzini has hit 12 so far for Sampdoria. Wednesday's match will be the first of three friendlies that Italy shall play before the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™.

Italy squad

Goalkeepers: Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli), Federico Marchetti (Cagliari), Salvatore Sirigu (Palermo)

Defenders: Daniele Bonera (AC Milan), Leonardo Bonucci (Bari), Fabio Cannavaro, Giorgio Chiellini and Nicola Legrottaglie (Juventus), Mattia Cassani (Palermo), Domenico Criscito (Genoa), Christian Maggio (Napoli)

Midfielders: Andrea Cossu (Cagliari), Daniele De Rossi (Roma), Andrea Pirlo and Gennaro Gattuso (AC Milan), Claudio Marchisio (Juventus), Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina), Angelo Palombo (Sampdoria), Simone Pepe (Udinese)

Forwards: Antonio Di Natale (Udinese), Fabio Quagliarella (Napoli), Giampaolo Pazzini (Sampdoria), Marco Borriello (AC Milan)