The Azzurrini take on Israel tomorrow in Ancona for the first leg of their UEFA European Under-21 Championship play-off.

Pierluigi Casiraghi’s side are without Giuseppe Rossi up front as the Villarreal player was picked by the senior squad, but the familiar faces of Mario Balotelli, Sebastian Giovinco, Ignazio Abate and Robert Acquafresca have enough quality to do the business in the two-legged affair. Recent reports suggest that Balotelli may be unavailable because of flu.

Full Italy squad:

Goalkeepers: Andrea Consigli (Atalanta BC), Andrea Seculin (ACF Fiorentina), Salvatore Sirigu (Ancona Calcio).

Defenders: Marco Andreolli (US Sassuolo Calcio), Salvatore Bocchetti (Genoa CFC), Domenico Criscito (Genoa CFC), Paolo De Ceglie (Juventus), Lorenzo De Silvestri (S.S Lazio), Lino Marzoratti (Empoli FC), Marco Motta (Udinese Calcio), Francesco Pisano (Cagliari Calcio).

Midfielders: Ignazio Abate (Torino FC) Francesco Bolzoni (FC Internazionale Milano), Antonio Candreva (AS Livorno Calcio), Luca Cigarini (Atalanta BC), Daniele Dessena (UC Sampdoria), Sebastian Giovinco (Juventus), Claudio Marchisio (Juventus), Piermario Morosini (Vicenza Calcio).

Forwards: Robert Acquafresca (Cagliari Calcio), Mario Balotelli (FC Internazionale Milano), Davide Lanzafame (US Città di Palermo), Pablo Daniel Osvaldo (ACF Fiorentina).

Peter Pedroncelli – footballitaliano.org