Of course, it wasn't going to be easy. In the last few hours, several players and coaches were searched or arrested in yet another round of the betting scandal that started hitting Italian football a couple of years ago. Juventus coach Conte and defender Bonucci (who's on the list) are among those targeted. So is Genoa defender Criscito, who was removed from the shortlist this morning after news of his arrest. It was unclear whether he would have ever made it to Euro 2012. Some comments here and here. (Juventus are also eyeing Capello for Conte's job now: see this).
GOALKEEPERS
Buffon (Juventus)
Sirigu (PSG)
De Sanctis (Napoli)
DEFENDERS
Maggio (Napoli)
Abate (Milan)
Balzaretti (Palermo)
Bonucci (Juventus)
Barzagli (Juventus)
Chiellini (Juventus)
Ogbonna (Torino)
MIDFIELDERS
Pirlo (Juventus)
Marchisio (Juventus)
Giaccherini (Juventus)
De Rossi (Roma)
Thiago Motta (PSG)
Nocerino (Milan)
Montolivo (Fiorentina)
Diamanti (Bologna)
FORWARDS
Cassano (Milan)
Balotelli (Manchester City)
Giovinco (Juventus)
Di Natale (Udinese)
Borini (Roma)
RESERVES
Ranocchia (Inter)
Destro (Siena)
There are no surprising and notable absences, except of course those that we got used to by now. All the old school strikers (Totti, Del Piero, Gilardino, Pazzini, Borriello) are too old to be useful, and some of the new ones (Matri, Quagliarella) have done very poorly this season. The sad truth is simply that this generation of Italian players lacks any serious goal-scorer. We have plenty of quality in the midfield, and some really great play-makers, but that's of no use if nobody puts it in the goal. Our most prolific striker is 35-year-old Di Natale: in good shape, but slow and absolutely no match for Spain's, Germany's, and England's rocky defenders.
My ideal starting 11... Buffon; Maggio, Bonucci, Barzagli, Chiellini; De Rossi, Thiago, Pirlo, Montolivo; Balotelli, Di Natale.
Cesare Prandelli at today's press conference
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