New Italy Coach Mancini Names Balotelli, Chelsea’s Emerson In First Squad

Eniola Olayemi

 
Mario Balotelli was left out again as Italy coach Roberto Mancini brought three new players into his squad for upcoming fixtures on Friday.

The Azzurri, still re-building after missing out on last summer’s World Cup, face Portugal in a key Nations League match on November 17 and the United States of America in Genk, Belgium in a friendly on November 20.

Brescia teenager Sandro Tonali, Sassuolo midfielder Stefano Sensi and Hoffenheim striker Vincenzo Grifo are the new faces.

Balotelli, still struggling to make an impact this season with Ligue 1 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 Chiellieni could win his 100th cap if he features in either of the games later this month.

Italy 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).