18-year-old defender called up by Italy for World Cup qualifiers

ROME (AP):

The 18-year-old Liverpool centre back Giovanni Leoni was one of three players given their first national team call-up by new Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso yesterday.

Also named to the Azzurri squad for the first time were Inter Milan forward Francesco Pio Esposito and Bologna midfielder Giovanni Fabbian.

It’s the first time Gattuso has named his squad since taking over for the fired Luciano Spalletti in June.

Facing the prospect of failing to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup, Italy have no room for errors in qualifiers against Estonia in Bergamo next Friday and against Israel in Hungary three days later.

Italy have three points from two matches. Norway, who have played four matches, lead Group I with 12 points, and Israel are next with six points from three matches.

Leoni transferred from Parma to Liverpool this month but has not played for the Premier League champion yet.

Atalanta forward Gianlunca Scamacca has returned to the squad after a series of injuries, as has Roma centre back Gianluca Mancini, who had been excluded by Spalletti.

Forward Mateo Retegui was included despite his recent move to Saudi Arabia, as was Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali despite a shoulder issue.

Goalkeepers: Marco Carnesecchi (Atalanta), Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain), Alex Meret (Napoli), Guglielmo Vicario (Tottenham).

Defenders: Alessandro Bastoni (Inter Milan), Raoul Bellanova (Atalanta), Riccardo Calafiori (Arsenal), Andrea Cambiaso (Juventus), Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli), Federico Dimarco (Inter), Federico Gatti (Juventus), Giovanni Leoni (Liverpool), Gianluca Mancini (Roma).

Midfielders: Nicolò Barella (Inter), Giovanni Fabbian (Bologna), Davide Frattesi (Inter), Manuel Locatelli (Juventus), Nicolò Rovella (Lazio), Sandro Tonali (Newcastle).

Forwards: Francesco Pio Esposito (Inter), Moise Kean (Fiorentina), Daniel Maldini (Atalanta), Riccardo Orsolini (Bologna), Matteo Politano (Napoli), Giacomo Raspadori (Atletico Madrid), Mateo Retegui (Al-Qadsiah), Gianluca Scamacca (Atalanta), Mattia Zaccagni (Lazio).