"Scandalous kickers" included

Italy coach misses out on two European champions

Italy's team manager Luciano Spalletti will be without Marco Verratti and Ciro Immobile for the European Championship in Germany. The veterans, who played important roles in the Squadra Azzurra's title win three years ago, are not in Spalletti's provisional 30-man squad. Instead, two "scandalous players" are in the squad. 

The two European champions are missing, but Nicolo Fagioli from Juventus, whose seven-month ban for illegal betting has expired, and Francesco Acerbi, who was confronted with accusations of racism, are included.

Accusations of racism against Acerbi
The 36-year-old Acerbi from Inter Milan left the national team in March after Napoli player Juan Jesus accused him of making a racist insult after a Serie A match. A sports court subsequently acquitted him due to a lack of evidence.

Spalletti has until June 6 to reduce his squad, which is led by goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and attacking player Federico Chiesa, to 26 professionals. Italy will begin their European Championship preparations on May 31 at the Coverciano training center near Florence. After test matches against Turkey (June 4) and Bosnia-Herzegovina (June 9), the two-time European champions will travel to Germany on June 10, where Albania, Spain and Croatia await in Group B.