Mancini names injured Verratti, Sensi in Italy's Euro 2020 squad

MILAN - Coach Roberto Mancini unveiled his 26-man squad at the midnight June 1 deadline set by UEFA ahead of the June 11-July 11 tournament.

There was also a surprise inclusion of Sassuolo forward Giacomo Raspadori, 21, who has not yet played for the senior national side.

Raspadori became available after Italy were eliminated from the European Under-21 Championship.

The centre-forward could provide an attacking option alongside Ciro Immobile and Andrea Belotti.

Marco Verratti suffered knee ligament damage last month with his club, Paris Saint-Germain, estimating that six weeks' recovery could be needed, which would rule the 28-year-old out of the group matches.

Stefano Sensi suffered a thigh muscle problem on the final day of the season playing for Serie A champions Inter Milan.

Veteran Juventus defenders Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci are also included, with Atalanta's Rafael Toloi preferred to Roma's Gianluca Mancini.

Atalanta midfielder Matteo Pessina and Napoli winger Matteo Politano were both left out.

After failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, the Azzurri are looking for redemption in a tournament they won in 1968.

They kick off on June 11 against Turkey in Group A in Rome's Stadio Olimpico, where they will also play Switzerland and Wales. - AFP, 2 June, 2021