Juventus striker Alessandro Del Piero and Sampdoria forward Antonio Cassano have been included in Italy’s provisional 24-man squad for Euro 2008.
Del Piero, 33, has not played for the world champions in eight months but he finished as Serie A’s top scorer for the first time with 21 goals this season.
“Del Piero has done well, he’s has had a great season,” Donadoni told a news conference.
“He had a first phase with some difficulties then there was a continual improvement and he did what he did and that has permitted him to wear the national team shirt again.”
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Cassano, on loan from Real Madrid, has produced some impressive displays this season but Donadoni refused to call him up because of worries over his discipline.
“What Cassano did in the past interests me only to a limited degree. The past must be wiped out for everyone in the squad, for those who won the championship or were top scorer,” Donadoni said.
“If we live on memories, it could start off negativity.”
Fiorentina midfielder Riccardo Montolivo was the only other surprise inclusion, with Donadoni having to lose one player before submitting his final squad to UEFA on May 28.
Italy face the Holland, Romania and France in Group C.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Marco Amelia (Livorno), Morgan De Sanctis (Sevilla)
Defenders: Fabio Cannavaro (Real Madrid), Marco Materazzi (Inter), Christian Panucci (Roma), Andrea Barzagli (Palermo), Gianluca Zambrotta (Barcelona), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Fabio Grosso (Lyon)
Midfielders: Andrea Pirlo (Milan), Gennaro Gattuso (Milan), Massimo Ambrosini (Milan), Daniele De Rossi (Roma), Simone Perrotta (Roma), Alberto Aquilani (Roma), Mauro Camoranesi (Juventus), Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina)
Forwards: Luca Toni (Bayern Munich), Alessandro Del Piero (Juventus), Antonio Di Natale (Udinese), Marco Borriello (Genoa), Fabio Quagliarella (Udinese), Antonio Cassano (Sampdoria, on loan from Real Madrid).
