Italy name friendly squad

August 17, 2002
Reuters

By Simon Evans

MILAN - Midfielders Matteo Brighi of Juventus and Massimo Oddo of Lazio both received their first call ups to the Italy squad by coach Giovanni Trapattoni on Saturday.

Trapattoni named the pair in a 22-man squad for Wednesday's friendly against Slovenia in Trieste.

AC Milan midfielder Massimo Ambrosini, Parma striker Marco Di Vaio and Inter Milan defender Daniele Adani were all recalled after they were left out of the squad for the World Cup finals in June.

Young Atalanta defender Luciano Zauri also received another chance in the team and could be given a spot on the left flank as an alternative to Francesco Coco.

Trapattoni has been unable to call on the injured trio of playmaker Francesco Totti, central midfielder Cristiano Zanetti and right midfielder Gianluca Zambrotta, while defender Paolo Maldini has retired from the national side.

Midfielder Angelo Di Livio, 36, who was part of the World Cup set up but will play fourth division football this season with Florence club Florentia Viola, was left out and looks to have played his last game for his country.

Roma striker Marco Delvecchio, who was a non-playing member of the squad in South Korea and Japan, has also been omitted.

Brighi, who can play in the centre of midfield or on the left, impressed last season on loan to Bologna and the 21-year-old is expected to play a major role for Juventus after returning to Turin this summer.

Midfielder Oddo moved to Lazio in the close season from Verona and is likely to stand in for Zambrotta on the right.

The friendly will act as a warm-up for Italy's first European Championship qualification group nine match against Azerbaijan in Baku on September 7.

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Francesco Toldo (Inter Milan)

Defenders: Daniele Adani (Inter Milan), Marco Materazzi (Inter Milan), Fabio Cannavaro (Inter Milan), Mark Iuliano (Juventus), Alessandro Nesta (Lazio), Francesco Coco (Inter Milan), Christian Panucci (AS Roma).

Midfielders: Massimo Ambrosini (AC Milan), Matteo Brighi (Juventus), Luigi Di Biagio (Inter Milan), Cristiano Doni (Atalanta), Gennaro Gattuso (AC Milan), Massimo Oddo (Lazio), Damiano Tommasi (AS Roma), Luciano Zauri (Atalanta).

Forwards: Alessandro Del Piero (Juventus), Vincenzo Montella (AS Roma), Filippo Inzaghi (AC Milan), Marco Di Vaio (Parma).
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