Palladino named in Italy squad
Updated: 2007-11-12 10:24
MILAN - Juventus forward Raffaele Palladino received a surprise first call-up to the Italy squad on Sunday for the Euro 2008 Group B qualifying matches in Scotland on Saturday and at home to Faroe Islands on November 21.
 Juventus' Raffaele Palladino (front) and Parma's Stefano Morrone fight for the ball during their Italian Serie A soccer match at the Tardini stadium in Parma November 11, 2007. [Agencies] |
His Juve team mate Alessandro Del Piero, 33, and AC Milan forward Filippo Inzaghi, 34, were again ignored by coach Roberto Donadoni after he left them out of his last squad for a qualifier, citing their age.
The world champions are third in Group B, one point behind Scotland and two behind leaders France.
A defeat in Glasgow would make life difficult for the Italians, who would then have to win against the Faroes and hope Ukraine beat France at home the same night in order to go through.
Palladino, 23, has operated as winger of late for Juventus and his flexibility has appealed to Donadoni, who will face calls to resign if Italy do not make it to the finals in Austria and Switzerland next year.
In-form AC Milan striker Alberto Gilardino was included after being left out of recent squads for qualifiers while Juve striker Vincenzo Iaquinta is fit to return after skipping the 2-0 win over Georgia last month through injury.
Captain Fabio Cannavaro is back from suspension and fellow defender Gianluca Zambrotta has been called up after recovering from an ankle problem but Donadoni has taken no other risks in an experienced defence and midfield.
World Cup winner Marco Materazzi is not fit after a two-month layoff with a thigh problem.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Marco Amelia (Livorno), Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Gianluca Curci (AS Roma)
Defenders: Andrea Barzagli (Palermo), Daniele Bonera (AC Milan), Fabio Cannavaro (Real Madrid), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Fabio Grosso (Olympique Lyon), Massimo Oddo (AC Milan), Christian Panucci (Roma), Gianluca Zambrotta (Barcelona)
Midfielders: Massimo Ambrosini (AC Milan), Mauro Camoranesi (Juventus), Daniele De Rossi (AS Roma), Gennaro Gattuso (AC Milan), Simone Perrotta (AS Roma), Andrea Pirlo (AC Milan)
Forwards: Antonio Di Natale (Udinese), Alberto Gilardino (AC Milan), Vincenzo Iaquinta (Juventus), Cristiano Lucarelli (Shakhtar Donetsk), Raffaele Palladino (Juventus), Fabio Quagliarella (Udinese), Luca Toni (Bayern Munich).
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