Robert Mancini has named his Italy Euro 2020 preliminary squad, but with some notable omissions. Jorginho was not named due to Chelsea’s upcoming Champions League final, so he’ll be named afterwards, but there’s a solid crop of players who missed the cut.
Italy Euro 2020 Preliminary Squad Omissions
Defence
The two most notable omissions from the squad in the defence are Davide Calabria and Alessio Romagnoli. Both players are members of AC Milan, who are having a strong defensive campaign, so the omissions are definitely interesting.
Calabria, in particular, is Milan’s first-choice right back. He has been all season, and in seasons prior for the most part. Milan faithful would also argue that he’s currently having his best season to date, so it’s peculiar to not see him included.
The right-backs chosen over Calabria include Alessandro Florenzi, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, and Manuel Lazzari. All are strong players in their own respect, and Florenzi has plenty of experience with the Azzurri. Calabria, however, is certainly on the same level (or perhaps better) than the other two options.
Romagnoli is still Milan’s captain, although he’s lost his place in the starting 11 recently. This, of course, is likely the reason he’s missed the cut. With that being said, his season has been disrupted by injury. He’s fit now, and formerly an Azzurri mainstay, so it’s tough to omit him. Mancini went for the most experienced in Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci as top choices, which is no surprise. In addition, other options such as Francesco Acerbi and Alessandro Bastoni are having strong seasons. Including Rafael Toloi and Gianluca Mancini over Romagnoli begs questions.
Midfield and Attack
The majority of the players named to the squad in these departments do not come as a surprise. A few players who are not included can definitely have arguments against that.
In the midfield, these players are Nicolo Zaniolo and Roberto Soriano. In the attack, they are Francesco Caputo and Riccardo Orsolini.
Zaniolo is recovering from a torn ACL, but on track to be healthy for the tournament. If healthy, he’s worth a shot. Zaniolo is a generational talent and can emerge as Italy’s future midfield star.
Caputo and Soriano, although not experienced in the upper-echelons of football, are very experienced overall in Italy. They bring leadership, but also production.
Caputo currently has 11 goals and seven assists in 24 Serie A matches. Soriano, as a central midfielder, currently has nine goals and seven assists to his name.
Rising Stars for the Future Who Missed the Italy Euro 2020 Cut
Italy also have a strong core of young players. Their omissions come as no surprise, as they’re still earning their way up. At the same time, experience travelling in tournaments such as the Euros is invaluable.
These players include Gianluca Frabotta, Luca Pellegrini and Alessandro Buongiorno in the defence. In the midfield and attack, the list includes Sandro Tonali, Tommaso Pobega and Gianluca Scamacca.
Mancini, however, is still bringing plenty of young players along with him.
Gianluigi Donnarumma is Italy’s top-choice goalkeeper, and just 22-years-old. He’ll likely be number one for the next decade.
Bastoni is an excellent young defender. He’s fresh off a stellar season with Inter Milan and will surely be Serie A’s next top centre-back.
Manuel Locatelli is transcending to new heights with Sassuolo. He may not earn a starting role in a crowded midfield, but the 23-year-old is one of the top utility players in the squad.
The two big (and young) names in the attack are Moise Kean and Giacomo Raspadori. Kean, already a household name, is still just 21-years-old. To date, he has 13 goals in 26 Ligue 1 matches with Paris Saint-Germain, but also three Champions League goals.
Raspadori broke out just recently, but his form is clearly on notice. His statistics don’t jump out as amazing, but he’s one of the players that truly passes the eye test. Raspadori currently has six goals and three assists in 27 Serie A matches. His unique skill set and high energy is a major asset.
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