De Rossi dropped by Prandelli from Azzurri

Rome, Nov 12 (IANS):

AS Roma midfielder Daniele De Rossi was dropped from the Italy national football team when head coach Cesare Prandelli announced the squad to play France in a friendly.

Prandelli has a strict code of ethics and confirmed he will not call up players who are sent off for dissent or violent conduct, reports Xinhua.

De Rossi saw red Sunday for punching Stefano Mauri during Roma’s 2-3 defeat to Lazio and was omitted even though he went to the locker room afterwards to apologise.

The Azzurri will play Les Bleus at the Stadio Tardini in Parma Wednesday evening.

Following is the Italian squad:

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli), Salvatore Sirigu (Paris St. Germain), Emiliano Viviano (Fiorentina);

Defenders: Davide Astori (Cagliari), Federico Balzaretti (Roma), Andrea Barzagli (Juventus), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Domenico Criscito (Zenit St. Pietroburgo), Christian Maggio (Napoli), Davide Santon (Newcastle);

Midfielders: Antonio Candreva (Lazio), Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna), Alessandro Florenzi (Roma), Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus), Claudio Marchisio (Juventus), Riccardo Montolivo (Milan), Andrea Pirlo (Juventus), Marco Verratti (Paris St. Germain);

Forwards: Mario Balotelli (Manchester City), Mattia Destro (Roma), Stephan El Shaarawy (Milan), Sebastian Giovinco (Juventus), Pablo Daniel Osvaldo (Roma).