Darmian returns to Italy squad as Mancini names three newcomers

Roberto Mancini selected a trio of debutants and handed an international comeback to Inter Milan defender Matteo Darmian in his latest Italy squad.

Darmian was named in the 30-man selection for the Euro 2024 qualifiers against England and Malta, marking his first call-up since March 2018, when he failed to appear from the substitutes' bench in friendlies with Argentina and England.

He last played for Italy in November 2017, when the Azzurri lost to Sweden and subsequently failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Mancini has also handed an opportunity to Lecce goalkeeper Wladimiro Falcone, Torino defender Alessandro Buongiorno and Tigre forward Mateo Retegui.

However, there are notable absentees with Nicolo Zaniolo, Gianluca Mancini, Manuel Locatelli and Mattia Zaccagni missing out, while Alessandro Bastoni, Giacomo Raspadori and Guglielmo Vicario are absent due to injury.

Italy's qualification for Euro 2024 begins with a rematch of the 2020 final against England on March 23, before then travelling to face Malta three days later.

Italy squad: Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG), Wladimiro Falcone (Lecce), Alex Meret (Napoli), Ivan Provedel (Lazio); Francesco Acerbi (Inter), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Alessandro Buongiorno (Torino), Matteo Darmian (Inter), Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli), Federico Dimarco (Inter), Alessio Romagnoli (Lazio), Giorgio Scalvini (Atalanta), Leonardo Spinazzola (Roma), Rafael Toloi (Atalanta); Nicolo Barella (Inter), Bryan Cristante (Roma), Davide Frattesi (Sassuolo), Jorginho (Arsenal), Lorenzo Pellegrini (Roma), Matteo Pessina (Monza), Sandro Tonali (Milan), Marco Verratti (PSG); Domenico Berardi (Sassuolo), Federico Chiesa (Juventus), Wilfried Gnonto (Leeds United), Vincenzo Grifo (Freiburg), Simone Pafundi (Udinese), Matteo Politano (Napoli), Mateo Retegui (Club Atletico Tigre), Gianluca Scamacca (West Ham).