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Italy winger Mauro Camoranesi was a surprise inclusion in coach Marcello Lippi’s final 23-man squad for the World Cup in South Africa (Italy 3/ 4 to score eight or more goals in Group F).
Camoranesi, who helped Italy win the trophy in Germany four years ago, pulled out of altitude training in the Alps on Tuesday with a knee injury.
But Lippi has gambled on the damage not being serious, though he did not answer reporters’ questions concerning the make-up of the squad.
AC Milan striker Marco Borriello and Villarreal forward Giuseppe Rossi were left out the squad, while Fabio Quagliarella made the list.
Goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu, defender Mattia Cassani and midfielder Andrea Cossu were the other players from a provisional 28-man squad to miss out on the trip to South Africa (Italy 9/4 to be eliminated in the quarter-finals).
Rossi was born in New Jersey to Italian parents and has dual citizenship. He played well for Italy at last year’s Confederations Cup, scoring twice in the opener against the United States, but struggled during the second half of this season with his Spanish club Villarreal.
Borriello scored 14 goals for AC Milan this season but plays centre forward, a position where Lippi prefers Alberto Gilardino, Vincenzo Iaquinta and Giampaolo Pazzini.
Nine players remain from the team that won the World Cup four years ago in Germany: Gianluigi Buffon, Fabio Cannavaro, Gianluca Zambrotta, Camoranesi, Daniele De Rossi, Gennaro Gattuso, Andrea Pirlo, Gilardino and Iaquinta.
Fabio Grosso, the left-back who converted the decisive penalty kick in the final against France four years ago, had already been cut two weeks ago after being named to the preliminary 30-man squad.
Italy have been training in Sestriere at 6,670 feet since May 23 and will depart for South Africa on June 8. The World Cup betting suggests they are in with a chance of repeating their appearance in the final four years ago.
The Azzurri have friendlies set up against Mexico in Brussels on Thursday and Switzerland in Geneva on Saturday.
At the World Cup, Italy opens against Paraguay on June 14 and will also face New Zealand and Slovakia in Group F.
Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli), Federico Marchetti (Cagliari).
Defenders: Salvatore Bocchetti (Genoa), Leonardo Bonucci (Bari), Fabio Cannavaro (Juventus), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Domenico Criscito (Genoa), Christian Maggio (Napoli), Gianluca Zambrotta (AC Milan).
Midfielders: Mauro Camoranesi (Juventus), Daniele De Rossi (AS Roma), Gennaro Gattuso (AC Milan), Claudio Marchisio (Juventus), Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina), Angelo Palombo (Sampdoria), Simone Pepe (Udinese), Andrea Pirlo (AC Milan).
Forwards: Antonio Di Natale (Udinese), Alberto Gilardino (Fiorentina), Vincenzo Iaquinta (Juventus), Giampaolo Pazzini (Sampdoria), Fabio Quagliarella (Napoli).
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