Del Piero left out of Italy squad

ITALY coach Marcello Lippi has left out veteran striker Alessandro Del Piero from his 23-man squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers in Ireland’s group against Bulgaria and Montenegro.

However he has handed a debut call-up to Villarreal’s Giuseppe Rossi. Simone Pepe, Christian Maggio and Fabiano Santacroce have also been called up for the first time as Lippi was forced to ring the changes with Marco Materazzi, Nicola Legrottaglie, Marco Cassetti, Fabio Grosso, Andrea Pirlo, Vincenzo Iaquinta and Marco Borriello all unavailable through injury.

Antonio Cassano also misses out again as does Fabio Quagliarella, while Andrea Barzagli, who played against Cyprus, has been omitted.