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Italian boss Prandelli. Fabrizio Giovannozzi/AP/Press Association Images
final cut

Prandelli leaves out Ranocchia and Destro, keeps Chiellini and Bonucci

It’s D-Day across Europe and the Italian boss has handed UEFA a scrap of paper with 23 names scribbled on it.

ITALIAN MANAGER CESARE Prandelli has submitted his final 23-man squad.

UEFA’s deadline for the lists of the 16 competing teams is today and having narrowed his panel down to 25 yesterday, the former Fiorentian coach has decided to omit Inter Milan defender Andrea Ranocchia and 21-year-old Genoa striker Mattia Destro.

Despite not being fully fit yet, influential Juventues defender Giorgio Chiellini has been included. Zenit St Petersburg’s Domenico Criscito was axed because of his involvement in the latest match-fixing probe but centre-back Leonardo Bonucci remains despite being mentioned in the police testimony but not formally questioned.

Italy face Spain first and play Croatia four days later before their meeting with Ireland on June 18.

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli), Salvatore Sirigu (Paris Saint-Germain).

Defenders: Ignazio Abate (AC Milan), Federico Balzaretti (Palermo), Andrea Barzagli (Juventus), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Christian Maggio (Napoli), Angelo Ogbonna (Torino).

Midfielders: Daniele De Rossi (AS Roma), Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna), Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus), Claudio Marchisio (Juventus), Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina), Thiago Motta (Paris Saint-Germain), Antonio Nocerino (AC Milan), Andrea Pirlo (Juventus).

Forwards: Mario Balotelli (Manchester City), Fabio Borini (AS Roma), Antonio Cassano (AC Milan), Antonio Di Natale (Udinese), Sebastian Giovinco (Parma).

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