Panucci back in Italy reckoning

AS Roma defender Christian Panucci has been recalled to the Italy squad for the UEFA EURO 2008™ Group B qualifiers against France and Ukraine.

Unfamiliar role
Panucci, who last appeared for the Azzurri in the 2004 finals, has been brought into Donadoni's 25-man selection because of a thigh injury to Marco Materazzi after impressing in an unfamiliar centre-back role this season. The 34-year-old's experience may now get him the nod to start against France on 8 September over Andrea Barzagli and recalled ACF Fiorentina defender Alessandro Gamberini.

Dream day
Pasquale Foggia receives a first call after scoring twice for Cagliari Calcio on Sunday in their 3-2 Serie A defeat against Juventus. Giorgio Chiellini, who scored the winning goal in that game for the Turin giants, is also back in the squad after a year-long absence while Daniele De Rossi and Simone Perrotta are in contention after being left out of the defeat by Hungary in last month's friendly. Italy can leapfrog France into top spot in Group B if they win in Milan as they trail their opponents by two points. The Azzurri meet Ukraine in Kiev four days later.

Italy squad
Goalkeepers: Christian Abbiati (Club Atlético de Madrid), Marco Amelia (AS Livorno Calcio), Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus)

Defenders: Andrea Barzagli (US Città di Palermo), Fabio Cannavaro (Real Madrid CF), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Alessandro Gamberini (ACF Fiorentina), Fabio Grosso (Olympique Lyonnais), Massimo Oddo (AC Milan), Christian Panucci (AS Roma), Gianluca Zambrotta (FC Barcelona)

Midfielders: Massimo Ambrosini (AC Milan), Alberto Aquilani (AS Roma), Mauro Camoranesi (Juventus), Daniele De Rossi (AS Roma), Pasquale Foggia (Cagliari Calcio), Gennaro Gattuso (AC Milan), Simone Perrotta (AS Roma), Andrea Pirlo (AC Milan)

Forwards: Alessandro Del Piero (Juventus), Antonio Di Natale (Udinese Calcio), Filippo Inzaghi (AC Milan), Cristiano Lucarelli (FC Shakhtar Donetsk), Fabio Quagliarella (Udinese Calcio), Luca Toni (FC Bayern München)