Profile Christian Maggio

Name: Christian Maggio
Position: Defender
Date of birth (age): 11/02/1982 (30)
Country: Italy
Club: Napoli (Italy ITA)

Height: 184cm
Weight: 79kg

UEFA competition debut:
Club: UEFA Intertoto Cup (Third round)
21/07/07: Cherno More 0-1 Sampdoria
National team: UEFA European Under-18 Championship (Preliminary round )
07/10/00: Faroe Islands 0-6 Italy

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Profile Claudio Marchisio

Name: Claudio Marchisio
Position: Midfield
Date of birth (age): 19/01/1986 (26)
Country: Italy
Club: Juventus (Italy ITA)

Height: 179cm
Weight: 66kg

UEFA competition debut:
Club: UEFA Cup (First round)
20/09/07: Empoli 2-1 Zürich
National team: UEFA European Under-21 Championship (Qualifying round)
01/06/07: Italy 4-0 Albania

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Profile Thiago Motta

Name: Thiago Motta
Position: Midfield
Date of birth (age): 28/08/1982 (29)
Country: Italy
Club: PSG (France FRA)

Height: 183cm
Weight: 82kg

UEFA competition debut:
Club: UEFA Champions League (Group stage)
10/10/01: Barcelona 2-0 Lyon
National team: UEFA European Football Championship (Qualifying round)
25/03/11: Slovenia 0-1 Italy

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coach Cesare Prandelli

There was no place for defender Andrea Ranocchia and striker Mattia Destro when Italy coach Cesare Prandelli named his final 23-man squad for UEFA EURO 2012.

Italy coach Cesare Prandelli named his 23-man squad for UEFA EURO 2012 a few hours ahead of the friendly game against Luxembourg in Parma with defender Andrea Ranocchia and striker Mattia Destro the last two players to leave the Azzurri training camp.

After reducing the squad from 32 to 25 players yesterday, with goalkeeper Francesco Viviano, defenders Davide Astori, Salvatore Bocchetti, Domenico Criscito and midfielders Luca Cigarini, Ezequiel Schelotto and Marco Verratti all left out, Prandelli made his final cuts just ahead of the deadline to send the official lists for the tournament.

The 24-year-old Ranocchia had come from a difficult season with FC Internazionale Milano in which he suffered a series of injuries, while the 21-year-old Destro had been a surprise inclusion on the provisional list after scoring 12 goals in Serie A for AC Siena.

"At one point I considered taking six forwards to Poland and Ukraine but then I changed my mind," explained Prandelli. "Now we will start to find out the results of our work. With the game against Luxembourg tonight we can really say that our adventure is getting closer."

Juventus winger Emanuele Giaccherini is the only uncapped player in the squad, while Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna FC) and Fabio Borini (AS Roma) have only played one friendly game each for the Azzurri.

Italy squad
Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Morgan De Sanctis (SSC Napoli), Salvatore Sirigu (Paris Saint-Germain FC).

Defenders: Ignazio Abate (AC Milan), Federico Balzaretti (US Città di Palermo), Andrea Barzagli (Juventus), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Christian Maggio (SSC Napoli), Angelo Ogbonna (Torino FC).

Midfielders: Daniele De Rossi (AS Roma), Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna FC), Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus) Claudio Marchisio (Juventus), Riccardo Montolivo (ACF Fiorentina), Thiago Motta (Paris Saint-Germain FC), Antonio Nocerino (AC Milan), Andrea Pirlo (Juventus).

Forwards: Mario Balotelli (Manchester City FC), Fabio Borini (AS Roma), Antonio Cassano (AC Milan), Antonio Di Natale (Udinese Calcio), Sebastian Giovinco (FC Parma).

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Profile Andrea Pirlo

Name: Andrea Pirlo
Position: Midfield
Date of birth (age): 19/05/1979 (33)
Country: Italy
Club: Juventus (Italy ITA)

Height: 177cm
Weight: 68kg

UEFA competition debut:
Club: UEFA Champions League (Second qualifying round)
12/08/98: Internazionale 4-0 Skonto
National team: UEFA European Under-16 Championship (Qualifying round)
19/10/94: Russia 0-1 Italy

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Profile Mario Balotelli

Name: Mario Balotelli
Position: Forward
Date of birth (age): 12/08/1990 (21)
Country: Italy
Club: Man. City (England ENG)

Height: 189cm
Weight: 88kg

UEFA competition debut:
Club: UEFA Champions League (Group stage)
01/10/08: Internazionale 1-1 Bremen
National team: UEFA European Under-21 Championship (Qualifying round)
05/09/08: Italy 1-1 Greece

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Profile Antonio Di Natale

Name: Antonio Di Natale
Position: Forward
Date of birth (age): 13/10/1977 (34)
Country: Italy
Club: Udinese (Italy ITA)

Height: 170cm
Weight: 70kg

UEFA competition debut:
Club: UEFA Cup (First round)
16/09/04: Panionios 3-1 Udinese
National team: UEFA European Football Championship (Qualifying round)
07/10/06: Italy 2-0 Ukraine
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Profile Andrea Barzagli

Name: Andrea Barzagli
Position: Defender
Date of birth (age): 08/05/1981 (31)
Country: Italy
Club: Juventus (Italy ITA)

Height: 186cm
Weight: 79kg

UEFA competition debut:
Club: UEFA Cup (First round)
15/09/05: Palermo 2-1 Anorthosis
National team: UEFA European Under-21 Championship (Qualifying round)
10/10/03: Italy 6-0 Azerbaijan

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Profile Gianluigi Buffon

Name: Gianluigi Buffon
Position: Goalkeeper
Date of birth (age): 28/01/1978 (34)
Country: Italy
Club: Juventus (Italy ITA)

Height: 192cm
Weight: 83kg

UEFA competition debut:
Club: UEFA Cup (First round)
24/09/96: Vitória SC 2-0 Parma
National team: UEFA European Under-16 Championship (Final tournament - Group stage)
28/04/93: Russia 1-2 Italy

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Barzagli's participation in euro 2012

Italy defender Andrea Barzagli will miss the group stage after being sidelined for 20 days with a calf strain; a decision on whether he will stay with the squad will be taken this week.

Italy defender Andrea Barzagli is facing a battle to play any part at UEFA EURO 2012 after picking up a calf strain.

The 31-year-old sustained the injury in Friday's 3-0 friendly loss to Russia. Azzurri team doctor Enrico Castellacci said Barzagli, capped 29 times by his country, would be unavailable for up to 20 days.

The centre-back, who won the Scudetto with Juventus this season, is therefore likely to miss the entire group stage. His condition will be monitored until Friday, when – subject to approval from UEFA – Italy coach Cesare Prandelli will make a decision on whether to replace him or not.

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