The AC Milan striker is accompanied by team-mates Stephan El Shaarawy and Riccardo Montolivo as Italy prepare to take on the South American giants next week
Cesare Prandelli has announced his squad for Italy’s friendly with Argentina in Rome on Wednesday, with Mario Balotelli set to return having missed the knock-out stages of the Confederations Cup with a strained thigh.
Also returning to the team is Roma striker Pablo Osvaldo, who was left out of Prandelli’s Confederations Cup squad after failing to show up to the awards ceremony for the Coppa Italia final.
Of the 27 players named in the team, all but three play domestically, with Paris-Saint Germain goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu and mifielder Marco Verratti, and Sunderland winger Emanuele Giaccherini the exceptions.
Included into the team are four members of this summer’s European Under-21 Championship squad – Doriano De Silvestri, Alessandro Florenzi, Lorenzo Insigne and Marco Verratti.
Juventus have the most players selected with six, while Milan and Roma are behind them with three each.
Full Italy squad:
| Name | Club |
| Goalkeepers: | |
| Gianluigi Buffon | Juventus |
| Federico Marchetti | Lazio |
| Salvatore Sirigu | Paris Saint-Germain |
| Defenders: | |
| Luca Antonelli | Genoa |
| Davide Astori | Cagliari |
| Andrea Barzagli | Juventus |
| Leonardo Bonucci | Juventus |
| Giorgio Chiellini | Juventus |
| Doriano Silvestri | Sampdoria |
| Christian Maggio | Napoli |
| Andrea Ranocchia | Inter |
| Midfielders | |
| Alberto Aquilani | Fiorentina |
| Antonio Candreva | Cagliari |
| Alessio Cerci | Torino |
| Daniele De Rossi | Roma |
| Alessandro Diamanti | Bologna |
| Alessandro Florenzi | Roma |
| Emanuele Giaccherini | Sunderland |
| Claudio Marchisio | Juventus |
| Riccardo Montolivo | AC Milan |
| Andrea Pirlo | Juventus |
| Marco Verratti | Paris Saint-Germain |
| Attackers: | |
| Mario Balotelli | AC Milan |
| Stephan El Shaarawy | AC Milan |
| Alberto Gilardino | Genoa |
| Lorenzo Insigne | Juventus |
| Pablo Osvaldo | Roma |