Italy manager Roberto Mancini has named a 33-man squad for their upcoming 2022 World Cup playoff semi-final clash against North Macedonia, but Mario Balotelli has not been selected.
The 31-year-old was originally included in a 35-man squad for a training camp in January, receiving his first national team call-up for over three years.
However, Balotelli is one of 12 players who has been dropped, while nine Italians have returned to the senior squad.
Goalkeepers Gianluigi Donnarumma and Pierluigi Gollini have replaced Alex Meret and Marco Carnesecchi, with Donnarumma set to be handed the number one jersey.
Defenders Leonardo Bonucci, Emerson Palmieri and Francesco Acerbi have all been recalled, while Davide Calabria, Mattia De Sciglio, Luca Pellegrini, Giorgio Scalvini and Rafael Toloi all miss out, with the latter sidelined due to injury. Luiz Felipe keeps his place and he is hoping to receive his first senior cap for the Azzurri.
Midfield trio Jorginho, Lorenzo Pellegrini and Marco Verratti all return at the expense of Nicolo Fagioli, Davide Frattesi and Samuele Ricci, while attackers Balotelli and Federico Bernadeschi drop out, with Matteo Politano called up. Joao Pedro retains his place in the squad and, like Felipe, he could make his senior debut for the national team this month.
Italy will face North Macedonia at the Stadio Renzo Barbera in Palermo on March 24 and victory for the Azzurri will seen them face either Portugal or Turkey in a playoff final for a place at this year's World Cup in Qatar.
Italy's 33-man squad in full:
Goalkeepers: Alessio Cragno (Cagliari), Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain), Pierluigi Gollini (Tottenham Hotspur), Salvatore Sirigu (Genoa)
Defenders: Francesco Acerbi (Lazio), Alessandro Bastoni (Inter Milan), Cristiano Biraghi (Fiorentina), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli), Emerson Palmieri (Lyon), Alessandro Florenzi (AC Milan), Luiz Felipe (Lazio), Gianluca Mancini (Roma)
Midfielders: Nicolo Barella (Inter Milan), Bryan Cristante (Roma), Jorginho (Chelsea), Manuel Locatelli (Juventus), Lorenzo Pellegrini (Roma), Matteo Pessina (Atalanta BC), Stefano Sensi (Sampdoria), Sandro Tonali (AC Milan), Marco Verratti (Paris Saint-Germain)
Attackers: Andrea Belotti (Torino), Domenico Berardi (Sassuolo), Ciro Immobile (Lazio), Lorenzo Insigne (Naploli), Joao Pedro (Cagliari), Matteo Politano (Napoli), Giacomo Raspadori (Sassuolo), Gianluca Scamacca (Sassuolo), Mattia Zaccagni (Lazio), Nicolo Zaniolo (Roma)
Oliver Thomas
