Italy head coach Roberto Mancini added three new players – Brescia’s Sandro Tonali, Sassuolo midfielder Stefano Sensi and Hoffenheim striker Vincenzo Grifo – into his squad, dropping Mario Balotelli, for their upcoming fixtures on Friday.
The Azzurri, who are re-building after missing out on last summer’s World Cup, will face Portugal in a crucial Nations League match on November 17 and the United States of America in Genk, Belgium in a friendly on November 20.
Balotelli, still struggling to make an impact this season with Ligue 1 side Nice, missed out again after not being included in the squad for the October fixtures against Ukraine and Poland.
Italy captain and Juventus veteran Giorgio Chiellini could win his 100th cap if he features in either of the games later this month.
THE FULL SQUAD:
Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Donnarumma (AC Milan), Alessio Cragno (Cagliari), Salvatore Sirigu (Torino)
Defenders: Cristiano Biraghi (Fiorentina), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Mattia De Sciglio (Juventus), Emerson Palmieri (Chelsea/ENG), Alessandro Florenzi (Roma), Alessio Romagnoli (AC Milan), Daniele Rugani (Juventus)
Midfielders: Nicolo Barella (Cagliari), Roberto Gagliardini (Inter Milan), Jorginho (Chelsea/ENG), Lorenzo Pellegrini (Roma), Stefano Sensi (Sassuolo), Sandro Tonali (Brescia), Marco Verratti (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA)
Forwards: Domenico Berardi (Sassuolo), Federico Bernardeschi (Juventus), Federico Chiesa (Fiorentina), Vincenzo Grifo (Hoffenheim), Ciro Immobile (Lazio), Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli), Kevin Lasagna (Udinese), Leonardo Pavoletti (Cagliari), Matteo Politano (Inter Milan).
