Rediff.com« Back to articlePrint this article

Euro 2016: Montolivo misses out for Italy again, De Rossi in

June 01, 2016 09:16 IST

IMAGE: Italian national team head coach Antonio Conte looks on during a training session. Photograph: Claudio Villa/Getty Images.

Midfielder Riccardo Montolivo missed out on his second straight major tournament due to injury while Daniele De Rossi was included in Italy's 23-man squad for next month's European Championship in France.

The party was announced during a two-hour extravaganza on state broadcaster RAI entitled Blue Dream where the players and coach Antonio Conte were brought up on stage and interviewed one by one.

AC Milan captain Montolivo, denied a place at the World Cup in Brazil two years ago after breaking his leg in a friendly, suffered a calf injury last week. De Rossi, 32, has played only four matches for Italy during Conte's two seasons in charge but injuries to Marco Verratti and Claudio Marchisio have depleted the midfield.

"I've been in the national team for so many years but this has been the first time in which I've worried about not being part of the group," said De Rossi who has played in the last three World Cups and two European Championships.

Napoli's Brazilian-born midfielder Jorginho was among seven players included in the provisional group last week who failed to make the cut.

The squad included two other Brazilian-born players, midfielder Thiago Motta and forward Eder.

Experienced playmaker Andrea Pirlo was not included, having also been left out of the provisional group.

"It's not easy to exclude people and it's very unpleasant to leave behind people who have really given everything for this shirt," said Conte who will leave the job after the tournament to take charge of Chelsea.

Italy have been drawn with Belgium, Sweden and Ireland in Group E at Euro 2016.

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

Defenders: Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini (all Juventus), Angelo Ogbonna (West Ham United), Federico Bernardeschi (Fiorentina), Matteo Darmian (Manchester United), Mattia De Sciglio (AC Milan)

Midfielders: Antonio Candreva (Lazio), Daniele De Rossi, Alessandro Florenzi (both AS Roma), Emanuele Giaccherini (Bologna), Thiago Motta (Paris St Germain), Marco Parolo (Lazio), Stefano Sturaro (Juventus)

Forwards: Eder (Inter Milan), Ciro Immobile (Torino), Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli), Graziano Pelle (Southampton), Simone Zaza (Juventus), Stephan El Shaarawy (AS Roma).

Source: REUTERS
© Copyright 2024 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.