Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and winger Mauro Camoranesi will miss this month’s World Cup qualifiers against Bulgaria and Montenegro through injury.
Coach Marcello Lippi confirmed that Buffon would be replaced in the squad by Siena goalkeeper Gianluca Curci but that he would not call up anyone else.
“It is a period in which we have lots of injuries. It happens,” Lippi said. Buffon’s place in the starting lineup is expected to go to Palermo’s Marco Amelia.
The world champions face Bulgaria in Sofia in Group Eight on Saturday before hosting Montenegro in Lecce on October 15.
On Sunday Lippi called up four uncapped players—Giuseppe Rossi, Simone Pepe, Christian Maggio and Fabiano Santacroce — but left out Juve striker Alessandro Del Piero. However, Lippil insists that the forward’s international career is not over.
“I called him, we talked,” Lippi told reporters.
“I wanted to look at some new players, I explained this to him and he understood. I also told him to continue doing what he has always done.”
