Italy’s Mancini picks 26-man squad for Nations League finals

European champion Italy faces Spain in the competition’s last four on June 15 with either Croatia or the Dutch host awaiting in the final should the Azzurri win.

FILE PHOTO: Italy coach Roberto Mancini.

Roberto Mancini picked on Monday a provisional 26-man squad for the upcoming Nations League finals in the Netherlands next month.

European champion Italy faces Spain in the competition’s last four on June 15 with either Croatia or the Dutch host awaiting in the final should the Azzurri win.

Mancini has not picked anyone from Inter Milan or Fiorentina, who have the Champions League and Conference League finals next week, including midfielder Nicolo Barella who has been a fixture in Mancini’s Italy.

Atalanta defender Giorgio Scalvini and AC Milan midfielder Sandro Tonali have also been left out of the running.

Lecce defender Federico Baschirotto gets his first call-up while Lazio forwards Ciro Immobile and Mattia Zaccagni are back in the fold after being away since September and June last year respectively.

An official squad of 23 has to be sent to UEFA by midnight next Monday.

SQUAD

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA), Alex Meret (Napoli), Guglielmo Vicario (Empoli)

Defenders: Federico Baschirotto (Lecce), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Alessandro Buongiorno (Torino), Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli), Alessandro Florenzi (AC Milan), Federico Gatti (Juventus), Leonardo Spinazzola (Roma), Rafael Toloi (Atalanta)

Midfielders: Bryan Cristante (Roma), Davide Frattesi (Sassuolo), Jorginho (Arsenal), Manuel Locatelli (Juventus), Lorenzo Pellegrini (Roma), Matteo Pessina (Monza), Marco Verratti (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA), Nicolo Zaniolo (Galatasaray/TUR)

Forwards: Domenico Berardi (Sassuolo), Federico Chiesa (Juventus), Wilfried Gnonto (Leeds United/ENG), Ciro Immobile (Lazio), Giacomo Raspadori (Napoli), Mateo Retegui (Tigre/ARG), Mattia Zaccagni (Lazio)