Italy name provisional Euro 2016 squad

The Azzurri take on Scotland and Finland in upcoming friendlies ahead of the Euros

European giants Italy have named their provisional 30-man squad ahead of June’s European Championships, with no space for veteran Andrea Pirlo.

Pirlo, now with New York City FC, has bags full of experience, and despite rumoured to be a possibility following the injuries to key midfielders Claudio Marchisio and Marco Verratti, was omitted from Antonio Conte’s team, alongside fellow MLS star Sebastien Giovinco.

The squad includes no less than seven Juventus players, as called up by their former coach – who will join Chelsea following the competition – with regular old heads Gianluigi Buffon, Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci all set to start at the back.

In midfield, a lot will be expected from PSG’s Thiago Motta, while Lazio’s Antonio Candreva and Roma’s Daniele De Rossi could be tasked with a central role, allowing the likes of Giacomo Bonaventura, Alessandro Florenzi and Stephan El Shaarawy to venture further forward.

Upfront, Southampton striker Graziano Pelle will fight it out with Inter Milan’s Eder, Napoli’s Lorenzo Insigne and Ciro Immobile from Torino to see who will lead the line.

The Azzurri take on Scotland and Finland in upcoming friendlies ahead of the Euros, where they have been drawn in Group E alongside Belgium, Republic of Ireland and Sweden. – KickOff.com

Italy squad in full:

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Federico Marchetti (Lazio), Salvatore Sirigu (Paris Saint-Germain)

Defenders: Davide Astori (Fiorentina), Andrea Barzagli (Juventus), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Matteo Darmian (Manchester United), Mattia De Sciglio (AC Milan), Angelo Ogbonna (West Ham), Daniele Rugani (Juventus)

Midfielders: Marco Benassi (Torino), Federico Bernardeschi (Fiorentina), Giacomo Bonaventura (Milan), Antonio Candreva (Lazio), Daniele De Rossi (Roma), Stephan El Shaarawy (Roma),  Alessandro Florenzi (Roma), Emanuele Giaccherini (Bologna), Jorge Luiz Jorginho (Napoli), Riccardo Montolivo (Milan), Thiago Motta (Paris Saint Germain), Marco Parolo (Lazio), Stefano Sturaro (Juventus), Davide Zappacosta (Torino)

Forwards: Eder (Inter), Ciro Immobile (Torino), Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli), Graziano Pelle (Southampton), Simone Zaza (Juventus).