Euro 2016 – Fabio Borini receives call up as Italy provisional squad announced

The preliminary Azzurri squad for Euro 2016 has been announced with Sunderland striker Fabio Borini receiving a surprise call up for national duty.

Antonio Conte has seven new faces in his preliminary setup for the competition, as the Italians move in a new direction of fresh and young talents. Genoa’s Armando Izzo and Leonardo Pavoletti, defenders Lorenzo Tonelli and Davide Zappacosta, midfielders Marco Benassi and Danilo Cataldi, plus Atalanta goalkeeper Marco Sportiello will all have their first chance to impress the three-time Serie A winning coach.

Players from clubs competing in domestic cup finals this weekend were excluded from the four-day training camp. The training camp runs from Wednesday to Saturday.

That included Matteo Darmian from Manchester United, and a host of players from Juventus, and AC Milan who will take part in this weekend’s Coppa Italia – apart from suspended Bianconeri defender Leonardo Bonucci.

Another preliminary squad will be named next Monday, and the final squad on May 31, before the Azzurri fly to France on June 8.

Meanwhile, veteran attackers Andrea Pirlo and Sebastian Giovinco have both been left out of the squad, despite impressing for their respective sides in the American MLS.

Italy squad for UEFA EURO 2016

Goalkeepers: Federico Marchetti, Antonio Mirante, Marco Sportiello.

Defenders: Francesco Acerbi, Davide Astori, Leonardo Bonucci, Armando Izzo, Angelo Ogbonna, Lorenzo Tonelli.

Midfielders: Marco Benassi, Federico Bernardeschi, Antonio Candreva, Danilo Cataldi, Daniele De Rossi, Lorenzo De Silvestri, Stephan El Shaarawy, Alessandro Florenzi, Emanuele Giaccherini, Jorginho, Marco Parolo, Roberto Soriano, Davide Zappacosta.

Forwards: Fabio Borini, Eder, Ciro Immobile, Lorenzo Insigne, Leonardo Pavoletti, Graziano Pelle

Italy’s Group E fixtures

13/06: Belgium vs Italy (Lyon)

17/06: Italy vs Sweden (Toulouse)

22/06: Italy vs Republic of Ireland (Lille)