[pass_me_a_rizla]

My 2 fav italian players have made the 24man shortlist!!
Del Piero rewarded for his performance in Serie A this season, Maybe one last swansong at INternational level for him.. annndd.. my fav crazy player, ANtonio Cassano.. #


Roberto Donadoni sprung one huge shock in his provisional 24-man squad as the hugely talented, yet volatile, Cassano was included.

The 25-year-old has been in magnificent form this season for Sampdoria, but he was widely expected to miss out following his lengthy suspension back in March for his furious reaction to being sent off against Torino.

However it seems that Cassano's spellbinding performance against Juventus at the weekend has convinced Donadoni, and he is chosen in attack along with Serie A Capocannoniere Alessandro Del Piero, Udinese duo Antonio Di Natale and Fabio Quagliarella, Genoa's Marco Borriello and Bayern Munich's Luca Toni.

Milan's Pippo Inzaghi misses out despite a prolific end to the season, as does Lazio's Tommaso Rocchi and the injured Vincenzo Iaquinta.

There are no surprises in midfield, although Alberto Aquilani and Riccardo Montolivo are both selected.

In defence the only notable absentee is Massimo Oddo, who has barely featured for Milan over the past six weeks due to injury and fitness problems. Sevilla's Morgan De Sanctis travels to Austria and Switzerland as third choice goalkeeper.

Donadoni will axe one player from the squad, before he has to submit his final 23 players to UEFA on May 28.

Full Italy Squad for Euro 2008

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Marco Amelia (Livorno), Morgan De Sanctis (Sevilla)

Defenders: Cristian Panucci (Roma), Fabio Cannavaro (Real Madrid), Andrea Barzagli (Palermo), Marco Materazzi (Inter), Fabio Grosso (Lyon), Gianluca Zambrotta (Barcelona), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus)

Midfielders: Rino Gattuso, Andrea Pirlo, Massimo Ambrosini (Milan), Daniele De Rossi, Simone Perrotta, Alberto Aquilani (Roma), Mauro German Camoranesi (Juventus), Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina)

Forwards: Luca Toni (Bayern Munich), Marco Borriello (Genoa), Antonio Di Natale, Fabio Quagliarella (Udinese), Alessandro Del Piero (Juventus), Antonio Cassano (Sampdoria)


Italy have to be strong favourites for this one..

No Alessandro Nesta!!

 

[spellbound]

I guess Donadoni wanted to add madness so he brought on Cassano. Hopefully for Italy he'll be the one to leave the squad before Euro starts.

 

[Jay007]

I couldn't really care less about Italy tbh.

Their a boring team, and I hate their country in the footballing sense.

Its everything thats wrong with football.

 

[marty davidson]

i think Di Natele is a class act

 

[davster23]

i'd axe boriello, even though he has been in supreme form for genoa

 

[Nemanjaaa]

I think Italy have a strong chance of doing well in the competition but no nation really sticks out at the end they all seem quite poor these championships.

 

[Keano4taoiseach]

Good team.

Top players, always well organised, superb keeper, rock steady defence. Definitely odds on Favourites.

 

[ManuFan111]

I'm Italian and Juventus fan
Del Piero is the best italian footballer in the last 20 years
Donadoni initially did not want to bring him to Euro2008..
but Del Piero this season scored 21 goals

Cassano is a fantastic player

 

[FozzyBear]

Italy are boring, its between france, spain and portugal those 3 have exciting line ups!!!

 

[sparkic]

Its a strong line up...but no nesta..? Why?

 

[dlan4327]

I was a bit surprised at Cassano making the squad. He's easily the 2nd best Italian striker at the moment behind Toni but he's too much of a wildcard.

The thing about the Euros is that the matches are so close together and you hardly get any time. If Cassano gets suspended...

Even missing one game in the Euro's could be the difference between winning the cup or not even making the 2d round.

That said he's one of my favourite Italian players playing for one of my favourite Italian teams. I wish him well.

Oh plus I also like Giovinco. I know he's young but he's got lots of potential. He scored a brace for the U21's recently.

 

[ManuFan111]

Oh plus I also like Giovinco. I know he's young but he's got lots of potential. He scored a brace for the U21's recently.

giovinco is a fantastic player, although it is very low
he is the Italian Messi
Giovinco is a Player of Juve, and the next season will play them

watch this video

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=7_6cTsuX-XY

 

[Red Warrior]

Donadoni Names Final Euro 2008 Squad

Italy coach Roberto Donadoni has named his 23-man squad for Euro 2008, and Riccardo Montolivo is the unlucky player to be cut from the coach's final list.

Last week Donadoni named a 24-man provisional squad for Austrian and Switzerland, from which he would then have to cut one player before submitting his final squad to UEFA at midday on May 29 (tomorrow).

Fiorentina midfielder Montolivo was always the favourite to get the chop, but other candidates were Roma duo Alberto Aquilani and Simone Perrotta, the latter who has been struggling with injury, as well as striker's Fabio Quagliarella and Marco Borriello.

As expected Montolivo is the player discarded, and he will now be a standby, in case an injured player is forced to leave the squad between now and the start of the Euros.

Full Italy Squad for Euro 2008

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Marco Amelia (Livorno), Morgan De Sanctis (Sevilla)

Defenders: Cristian Panucci (Roma), Fabio Cannavaro (Real Madrid), Andrea Barzagli (Palermo), Marco Materazzi (Inter), Fabio Grosso (Lyon), Gianluca Zambrotta (Barcelona), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus)

Midfielders: Rino Gattuso, Andrea Pirlo, Massimo Ambrosini (Milan), Daniele De Rossi, Simone Perrotta, Alberto Aquilani (Roma), Mauro German Camoranesi (Juventus)

Forwards: Luca Toni (Bayern Munich), Marco Borriello (Genoa), Antonio Di Natale, Fabio Quagliarella (Udinese), Alessandro Del Piero (Juventus), Antonio Cassano (Sampdoria)

Standby: Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina)

 

[Zenitka]

Great team...

 

[delas]

italy has a great team, happy for Del Piero and Cassano. Alex is the top scorer in serie A, wonderful, and Cassano, after a few months of "cassanate" (foolish things), played a great final of season.....however donadoni will play with di natale and toni.....

 

[delas]

Cannavaro injured during training , we hope the injury is not important

 

[Lucky7]

Goal.com

Italy only arrived in their camp in Baden this morning, but a rotten piece of bad luck befell them during their first training session at Admira Wacker’s ground.

Fabio Cannavaro suffered an ankle injury after a 50/50 collision with Giorgio Chiellini, and he was stretchered off the field in serious pain.

The 34-year-old was then taken to hospital and he will be assessed in the next 24-48 hours when a decision will then be made on whether to send him home.

Latest reports from the scene are not said to be good, and there are rumours that it will take a miracle for Cannavaro to play any part in the championships.

Italy have until 24 hours before their first match of the tournament to replace an injured player, and the two main contenders to take his place are Fiorentina's Alessandro Gamberini and Milan's Daniele Bonera.

It will be a huge blow for Italy if they were to lose their captain, who has been a legendary figure at the back for them over the past 11 years, playing at every major championships since France '98, and winning 116 caps. His most prized moment came two years ago at the World Cup in Germany when he famously lifted the Cup in Berlin.

 

[dlan4327]

Cannavaro to Miss Euro's & Viera also Doubtful

This afternoon, World Cup winning captain Fabio Cannavaro suffered a knock to his ankle after a clash with Juventus hard man Giorgio Chiellini during Italy's training session. After staying on the ground for a while, he was taken off on a stretcher and then to hospital.

Tests confirmed that the injury is serious and the player will probably require surgery. More tests will be made in the next 48 hours to ascertain the specifics of the injury, but one thing is for sure: he will not be able to take part to Euro 2008.

Source: Goal.com - http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=720732

Vieira picked up a thigh problem prior to Les Bleus' warmup match against Paraguay on Saturday evening, and was forced to sit out the 0-0 draw.

The 31-year-old received medical treatment to the injury on Saturday, however he has reportedly not responded too well, and could be out for at least a few weeks, which would almost certainly mean missing Euro 2008.

New AC Milan midfielder Mathieu Flamini, who surprisingly was snubbed of a place in the squad, has now been called up by coach Raymond Domenech to act as the 24th man until a definite decision is made on whether to keep Vieira, which must be made by June 8.

Source: Goal.com - http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=720011

 

[delas]

Alessandro Gamberini (Fiorentina) substitutes Cannavaro, maybe Italy could play with materazzi-barzagli (i hope for Chiellini....)

 

[Zenitka]

traumas,trauma,trauma.....chance for the less famous players...

Russian striker Pavel Pogrebnyak cant play on Euro too...