Prandelli names Italy squad

AC Milan full-back Ignazio Abate received his first call up to the Italy squad as coach Cesare Prandelli named 24 players for their forthcoming friendlies against Poland and Uruguay. There were also recalls for Juventus pair Simone Pepe and Alessandro Matri, while Inter Milan's Brazilian-born midfielder Thiago Motta returns following injury, as do Manchester City's Mario Balotelli, Inter forward Giampaolo Pazzini and Domenico Criscito. Motta replaces Atalanta's Luca Cigarini in the squad, while Pepe and Matri come in for injured forward pair Antonio Cassano of AC Milan and Villarreal's Giuseppe Rossi. Argentina-born forward Pablo Osvaldo was rewarded for his excellent club form with Roma - for whom he has scored five league goals this season - with a second successive call-up having replaced Pazzini in the previous squad when the Inter man withdrew with injury. Inter centre-back Andrea Ranocchia received a recall with Juve's Leonardo Bonucci missing out in defence. Full-backs Davide Astori of Cagliari and Fiorentina's Mattia Cassani have been replaced by Abate and second division Torino's Angelo Ogbonna, who replaced Criscito in the previous squad when the St Petersburg left-back pulled out injured. Italy will play Poland in Wroclaw on 11 November and Uruguay in the Italian capital on 15 November. Squad: Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Salvatore Sirigu (Paris St Germain/FRA), Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli) Defenders: Ignazio Abate (AC Milan), Federico Balzaretti (Palermo), Andrea Barzagli (Juventus), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Domenico Criscito (Zenit St Petersburg/RUS), Christian Maggio (Napoli), Angelo Ogbonna (Torino), Andrea Ranocchia (Inter Milan) Midfielders: Alberto Aquilani (AC Milan), Daniele de Rossi (Roma), Claudio Marchisio (Juventus), Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina), Thiago Motta (Inter Milan), Antonio Nocerino (Palermo), Andrea Pirlo (Juventus) Forwards: Mario Balotelli (Manchester City/ENG), Sebastian Giovinco (Parma), Alessandro Matri (Juventus), Pablo Osvaldo (Roma), Giampaolo Pazzini (Inter Milan), Simone Pepe (Juventus)