Giovinco latest absentee for Italy

Sebastian Giovinco has withdrawn from the Italy squad with a muscular problem, coach Cesare Prandelli has confirmed.

The 24-year-old forward sustained a muscular strain in Parma’s 1-0 Serie A defeat to Lazio on Sunday and has been sent home from Italy’s base at Coverciano.

Tests with the Azzurri’s medical staff on Monday confirmed Giovinco would not be able to take any part in friendlies against Poland on Friday or Uruguay next Tuesday.

“Giovinco is not well and so he has gone home, but we have Simone Pepe who can allow us to change things tactically,” Prandelli said.

AC Milan’s Antonio Cassano joins Giovinco on the sidelines as he recovers from recent heart surgery, while Villarreal striker Giuseppe Rossi is also a long-term absentee having undergone an operation on his knee.

Prandelli is prepared to cope and suggested there could be some changes to the team in light of those absences, though he made special mention of Cassano.

“I’d like to give special greetings to Antonio Cassano. I’ve met him the other day and he said me to greet you all. Really, I’m not joking,” he said.

“This is the news and it means he is doing well and is already missing playing. He was very serene and already motivated. I just wanted to say that we miss him. We have realized that there was a particular atmosphere here and we wanted to hug him from Coverciano.”

“Something will change because of the absences. After I spoke to Cassano just days ago I decided I would have to change things.”

“We cannot look for players with the qualities of Cassano and Rossi, and so we will have to take a new path while they are away.”

“However, all the players I have here at my disposal can play together without any problems.”

Mario Balotelli has been in hot form for English Premier League club Manchester City, and Prandelli expects the striker to live up to expectations once again.

“He has a chance to show all of his qualities, but I do not want to put too much responsibility upon him,” Prandelli said.