U21: Casiraghi names Azzurrini squad

Pierluigi Casiraghi has named four new faces in his 24-man squad to play Croatia and Greece in the Euro 2009 Under-21 qualifiers.

Inter goalkeeper Enrico Alfonso, defenders Alessandro Bastrini of Sampdoria and Matteo Rubin of Torino and Inter midfielder Francesco Bolzoni have all been called up for the first time.

Casiraghi also selected Fiorentina's Pablo Daniel Osvaldo, who scored two goals on his Viola debut against Livorno last week, but the striker was not available because of a slight injury. The 21-year-old was born in Argentina but also holds Italian citizenship.

The Azzurrini have a 100 per cent record in qualification Group 1 so far following three straight victories, but they laboured to tight wins over Albania and the Faroe Islands in September and will need to do better on October 12 against Croatia in Chieti and on October 16 against Greece in Athens.

Italy Under-21 squad:
Goalkeepers: Enrico Alfonso (Inter), Andrea Consigli (Rimini), Salvatore Sirigu (Cremonese).
Defenders: Alessandro Bastrini (Sampdoria), Domenico Criscito (Juventus), Lorenzo De Silvestri (Lazio), Lino Marzoratti (Empoli), Marco Motta (Torino), Marco Rossi (Parma), Matteo Rubin (Torino), Fabiano Santacroce (Brescia).
Midfielders: Francesco Bolzoni (Inter), Luca Cigarini (Parma), Paolo De Ceglie (Siena), Daniele Dessena (Parma), Sebastian Giovinco (Empoli), Claudio Marchisio (Empoli), Piermario Morosini (Vicenza), Gabriele Paonessa (Avellino), Andrea Russotto (Treviso).
Forwards: Robert Acquafresca (Cagliari), Arturo Lupoli (Fiorentina), Nicola Pozzi (Empoli), Giuseppe Rossi (Villarreal).

Source: C4 Football Italia / FIGC