UEFA Euro 2012: Astori to de drafted in as cover for Barzagli
Davide Astori is to join up with the Italy Euro 2012 squad as cover for injured veteran centreback Andrea Barzagli it was reported by ANSA on Wednesday.
Davide Astori is to join up with the Italy Euro 2012 squad as cover for injured veteran centreback Andrea Barzagli it was reported by ANSA on Wednesday.
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Astori, 25 and who plays for Serie A side Cagliari, will arrive later on Wednesday but coach Cesare Prandelli will not make a final decision until Friday as he regards Juventus star Barzagli integral to the team's chances of doing well.
Prandelli's preferred choice for Barzagli was Inter Milan's Andrea Ranocchia, but he too is injured.
Barzagli, 31, - a member of Italy's 2006 World Cup winning squad - tore a calf muscle and the initial diagnosis was he would definitely be out for three weeks.
Barzagli, a Bundesliga winner with VfL Wolfsburg in 2009 and then with Juventus in Serie A last term, will undergo further scans on Friday which will then give Prandelli a clearer idea as to whether Astori should replace him or not.
Italy - who come into the championship on the back of a matchfixing scandal and a desperate 3-0 defeat in last Friday's friendly with Russia - play champions Spain first up in Gdansk on Sunday.
Without Barzagli, Prandelli is likely to align in his three man defence veteran midfielder Daniele De Rossi as Barzagli's replacement, with Leonardo Bonucci on the right and Giorgio Chiellini on the left.