Italy coach Marcello Lippi left Alessandro Del Piero off the squad for the team’s next two World Cup qualifying games and called up four players for their international debuts Sunday.
Del Piero had got the call for Italy’s first two qualifiers last month against Cyprus and Georgia but saw little playing time. The striker has scored one goal in six games this season for Juventus.
The four players making their debut are Villarreal striker Giuseppe Rossi, Udinese forward Simone Pepe, Napoli defender Fabiano Santacroce and Napoli midfielder Christian Maggio. Italy plays Bulgaria on Saturday in Sofia and Montenegro in Lecce four days later.
Robben out of Dutch squad
Arjen Robben and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink have pulled out of the Netherlands squad for the upcoming World Cup Group Nine qualifying matches through injury.
Real Madrid winger Robben has a hamstring injury, while Celtic striker Vennegoor of Hesselink sustained a groin injury at the weekend, the Dutch FA said on their website (knvb.nl).