No Andrea Pirlo, as Conte names provisional pre-Euro 2016 squad

Milan Italy veteran Andrea Pirlo was among the absentees as coach Antonio Conte named a provisional 28man squad on Monday for a preEuro 2016 training camp with several stars absent with Cup finals to play Conte who earlier Monday was cleared of sporting fraud charges relating to a matchfixing affair while he was coach of Serie B team Siena in 2011 can now fully focus on the Azzurri although questions remain over his final 23man squadAndrea PirloItaly players yet to play Cup finals namely those with Juventus AC Milan Paris Saint Germain and Manchester United were left out of the reckoning altogether meaning Contes final squad on May 31 could look very different Defender Leonardo Bonucci was the only Juventus player included for the first training camp beginning Wednesday at Coverciano near Florence because he is suspended for the Italian Cup final against AC Milan on May 21With midfielders Claudio Marchisio Juventus and Marco Verratti PSG ruled out through serious injury there is a place for Romas toughtackling defensive midfielder Daniele de Rossi World Cup winner Pirlo 36 who had came out of retirement following Italys first round exit from the 2014 World Cup was a notable although not a surprise absentee Since his move from Juventus to New York City Pirlo has fallen out of favour amid reports he is lacking the required fitness It now looks increasingly unlikely he will play at Euro 2016Conte has rewarded Domenico Berardi for a string of fine goalscoring performances with Serie A minnows Sassuolo who pipped AC Milan to sixth place and a possible spot in next seasons Europa League Toronto striker Sebastian Giovinco who played under Conte at Juventus has been recalled while Sunderlands Fabio Borini who featured at Euro 2012 without playing a game has been given the nod by Conte for the first timeConte called up a total of seven players who had never graced the Italy squad in Atalanta goalkeeper Marco Sportiello Genoa defender Armando Izzo Empoli defender Lorenzo Tonelli midfielders Marco Benassi Torino Danilo Cataldi Lazio Davide Zappacosta Torino and Genoa striker Leonardo Pavoletti Three other players other than Borini return to the fray in goalkeepers Antonio Mirante Bologna Federico Marchetti Lazio and West Ham defender Angelo OgbonnaAmong the notable absentees due to Cup duty are goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon Juventus defenders Andrea Barzagli and Giorgio Chiellini both Juventus Luca Antonelli Milan midfielders Thiago Motta PSG and Riccardo Montolivo Milan goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu PSG and Manchester United fullback Matteo Darmian The 46yearold Conte will take over as Chelsea manager after the June 10July 10 tournament in France in which Italy face Belgium Sweden and the Republic of Ireland in Group ESquad Goalkeepers Federico Marchetti Lazio Antonio Mirante Bologna Marco Sportiello Atalanta Defenders Francesco Acerbi Sassuolo Davide Astori Fiorentina Leonardo Bonucci Juventus Armando Izzo Genoa Angelo Obinze Ogbonna West HamENG Lorenzo Tonelli Empoli Midfielders Marco Benassi Torino Federico Bernardeschi Fiorentina Antonio Candreva Lazio Danilo Cataldi Lazio Daniele De Rossi Roma Lorenzo De Silvestri Sampdoria Stephan El Shaarawy Roma Alessandro Florenzi Roma Emanuele Giaccherini Bologna Jorge Luiz Jorginho Napoli Marco Parolo Lazio Roberto Soriano Sampdoria Davide Zappacosta Torino Forwards Fabio Borini SunderlandENG Citadin Martins Eder Inter Milan Ciro Immobile Torino Lorenzo Insigne Napoli Leonardo Pavoletti Genoa Graziano PellAtildeuml SouthamptonENG