Italy coach Conte names 7 new players for training camp
ROME (AP) - Seven new players made Italy's preliminary 28-man squad for the European Championship on Monday.
They were Atalanta goalkeeper Marco Sportiello, defenders Lorenzo Tonelli (Empoli), Davide Zappacosta (Torino) and Armando Izzo (Genoa), as well as Genoa forward Leonardo Pavoletti and midfielders Marco Benassi (Torino) and Danilo Cataldi (Lazio).
Sunderland striker Fabio Borini and Sampdoria goalkeeper Antonio Mirante were called up for the first time under coach Antonio Conte.
Players from clubs competing in cup finals were excluded from the four-day training camp. That included possibles from Manchester United, Anderlecht, Juventus, and AC Milan - apart from suspended Bianconeri defender Leonardo Bonucci.
Veteran playmaker Andrea Pirlo and forward Sebastian Giovinco, who both play in Major League Soccer, were left out.
The training camp runs from Wednesday to Saturday.
Another preliminary squad will be named next Monday, and the final squad on May 31, before the Azzurri fly to France on June 8.
Italy is in one of the toughest groups at Euro 2016. It opens against Belgium on June 13, before playing Sweden four days later and Ireland on June 22.
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Italy:
Goalkeepers: Federico Marchetti (Lazio), Antonio Mirante (Bologna), Marco Sportiello (Atalanta).
Defenders: Francesco Acerbi (Sassuolo), Davide Astori (Fiorentina), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Armando Izzo (Genoa), Angelo Ogbonna (West Ham), 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), Jorginho (Napoli), Marco Parolo (Lazio), Roberto Soriano (Sampdoria), Davide Zappacosta (Torino).
Forwards: Fabio Borini (Sunderland), Eder (Inter Milan), Ciro Immobile (Torino), Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli), Leonardo Pavoletti (Genoa), Graziano Pelle (Southampton).