Pazzini earns Azzurri call-up
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Italy coach Marcello Lippi has called up in-form Sampdoria striker Giampaolo Pazzini in place of injured strikers Luca Toni and Alberto Gilardino for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Montenegro and Republic of Ireland.
Toni, who plays for Bayern Munich, has an Achilles tendon injury, while Gilardino exited Fiorentina's 1-0 win over Siena on Sunday with a muscle problem.
Pazzini has been in terrific form since joining Sampdoria from Fiorentina in January, scoring eight goals in Serie A for the Genoa-based outfit.
Along with Pazzini, defenders Marco Motta and Salvatore Bocchetti also received their first call ups.
The inclusion of Bocchetti is the biggest surprise as the 22-year-old defender has not been a permanent fixture of the Genoa side this season.
Italy, who lead Group Eight on goal difference, visit Montenegro next Saturday before hosting Ireland four days later in Bari.
Italy Squad:
Goalkeepers: Marco Amelia (Palermo), Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Morgan De Sanctis (Galatasaray)
Defenders: Salvatore Bocchetti (Genoa), Fabio Cannavaro (Real Madrid), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Andrea Dossena (Liverpool), Alessandro Gamberini (Fiorentina), Fabio Grosso (Olympique Lyon), Marco Motta (AS Roma), Gianluca Zambrotta (AC Milan)
Midfielders: Matteo Brighi (AS Roma), Daniele De Rossi (AS Roma), Pasquale Foggia (Lazio), Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina), Angelo Palombo (Sampdoria), Andrea Pirlo (AC Milan)
Forwards: Antonio Di Natale (Udinese), Vincenzo Iaquinta (Juventus), Giampaolo Pazzini (Sampdoria), Simone Pepe (Udinese), Fabio Quagliarella (Udinese), Giuseppe Rossi (Villarreal)
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Toni, who plays for Bayern Munich, has an Achilles tendon injury, while Gilardino exited Fiorentina's 1-0 win over Siena on Sunday with a muscle problem.
Pazzini has been in terrific form since joining Sampdoria from Fiorentina in January, scoring eight goals in Serie A for the Genoa-based outfit.
Along with Pazzini, defenders Marco Motta and Salvatore Bocchetti also received their first call ups.
The inclusion of Bocchetti is the biggest surprise as the 22-year-old defender has not been a permanent fixture of the Genoa side this season.
Italy, who lead Group Eight on goal difference, visit Montenegro next Saturday before hosting Ireland four days later in Bari.
Italy Squad:
Goalkeepers: Marco Amelia (Palermo), Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Morgan De Sanctis (Galatasaray)
Defenders: Salvatore Bocchetti (Genoa), Fabio Cannavaro (Real Madrid), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Andrea Dossena (Liverpool), Alessandro Gamberini (Fiorentina), Fabio Grosso (Olympique Lyon), Marco Motta (AS Roma), Gianluca Zambrotta (AC Milan)
Midfielders: Matteo Brighi (AS Roma), Daniele De Rossi (AS Roma), Pasquale Foggia (Lazio), Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina), Angelo Palombo (Sampdoria), Andrea Pirlo (AC Milan)
Forwards: Antonio Di Natale (Udinese), Vincenzo Iaquinta (Juventus), Giampaolo Pazzini (Sampdoria), Simone Pepe (Udinese), Fabio Quagliarella (Udinese), Giuseppe Rossi (Villarreal)
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