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[Blwe_torch]

Italy squad for pre-World Cup get-together


ROME (AFP) - Italy coach Marcello Lippi on Sunday named a 29-man squad for a two-day, pre-World Cup get-together in the capital next week.
No players from Roma or Inter Milan were called up due to the Italian Cup final, first leg tie between the two teams on Wednesday.

Players carrying knocks or those recovering from injury were also excluded.

Lippi will name his 23-man squad for the World Cup on May 15.

AC Milan striker Filippo Inzaghi, whose has been outstanding since returning from a lengthy lay-off due to injury, said he hoped to impress Lippi and earn a place on the plane to Germany.

"I'm really happy," said the 32-year-old forward, whose last appearance for the Azzurri was against Azerbaijan in October 2003.

"To be recalled to the national team after more than two years out is something extraordinary.

"Injuries have kept me out for a long time and now I'm back, and I have a real hunger to go to Germany.

"I'll be training hard and hope to settle in quickly with my new team-mates."

Italy's first World Cup game is against Ghana on June 12.


Squad

Goalkeepers: Marco Amelia (Livorno), Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Morgan De Sanctis (Udinese), Angelo Peruzzi (Lazio)

Defenders: Andrea Barzagli (Palermo), Fabio Grosso (Palermo), Cristian Zaccardo (Palermo), Daniele Bonera (Parma), Fabio Cannavaro (Juventus), Gianluca Zambrotta (Juventus), Alessandro Gamberini (Fiorentina), Manuel Pasqual (Fiorentina), Alessandro Nesta (AC Milan), Massimo Oddo (Lazio)

Midfielders: Simone Barone (Palermo), Mauro Camoranesi (Juventus), Mauro Esposito (Cagliari), Gennaro Gattuso (AC Milan), Andrea Pirlo (AC Milan), Fabio Liverani (Lazio), Marco Marchionni (Parma), Franco Semioli (Chievo)

Strikers: Alessandro Del Piero (Juventus), Alberto Gilardino (AC Milan), Filippo Inzaghi (AC Milan), Vincenzo Iaquinta (Udinese), Alessandro Lucarelli (Livorno), Francesco Tavano (Empoli), Luca Toni (Fiorentina)

http://www.espnstar.com/fworldcup/fworldcup_newsdetail_1676459.html