ITALY
Ventura names Italy squad for Spain showdown
Italy coach Giampiero Ventura included all his big guns in a 25-man squad for decisive World Cup qualifiers against Spain and Israel next month.
Italy coach Giampiero Ventura included all his big guns in a 25-man squad for decisive World Cup qualifiers against Spain and Israel next month.
Sidelined for a month with a knee injury, Juventus midfielder Claudio Marchisio is the only big-name absence from Ventura's tried and tested squad ahead of a September 2 clash against Spain in Madrid.
Ventura welcomed back Genoa goalkeeper Mattia Perin after his recovery from a cruciate ligament injury suffered against Juventus last season, although he remains Italy's third-choice 'keeper behind number one Gianluigi Buffon and Gianluigi Donnarumma of AC Milan.
Spain and Italy sit neck and neck at the top of Group G on 16 points from six games, having drawn 1-1 when they met in Turin last year.
Italy, the four-time World Cup winners who exited at the first round in Brazil in 2014, host Israel in Reggio Emilia on September 5.
Only the group winners qualify automatically for the finals in Russia.
Italy squad for World Cup qualifiers against Spain and Israel on September 2 and 5 respectively:
Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Gianluigi Donnarumma (AC Milan), Mattia Perin (Genoa).
Defenders: Davide Astori (Fiorentina), Andrea Barzagli (Juventus), Leonardo Bonucci (AC Milan), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Andrea Conti (AC Milan), Danilo D'Ambrosio (Inter Milan), Matteo Darmian (Manchester United/ENG), Daniele Rugani (Juventus), Leonardo Spinazzola (Atalanta).
Midfielders: Daniele De Rossi (Roma), Riccardo Montolivo (AC Milan), Marco Parolo (Lazio), Lorenzo Pellegrini (Roma), Marco Verratti (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA).
Forwards: Federico Bernardeschi (Juventus), Antonio Candreva (Inter Milan), Stephan El Shaarawy (Roma), Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli), Andrea Belotti (Torino), Eder (Inter Milan), Manolo Gabbiadini (Southampton/ENG), Ciro Immobile (Lazio).
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