the choices of coach Bertolini-Corriere.it

Excluding the symbol player. Sara Gama not in the list of 32 Italy players called up by coach Milena Bertolini for the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand which starts on Thursday 20 July. A strong choice, because Gama captains the national team as well as Juventus, and above all one of the pillars on which the Azzurri have built credibility and results in recent years. The technical decision, not linked to physical problems which have also affected Sara in recent times, but which today seem to have been overcome.

At last summer’s European Championships, Gama struggled a lot, also conditioned by inflammation in his right knee. Yet he has always put his face into it, taking responsibility for mistakes and falls. The years are now 34, true, but the value of the player remains important: on 4 June, for example, she played as a starter in the Italian Cup final won by her Juventus against Roma. After nine months of absence, Sara returned to the national team in April, called up for the friendly against Colombia, which she watched from the bench. His last match with Italy remains the one against Iceland, which sanctioned the elimination of the blues from the European Championship.

At the press conference, Milena Bertolini will also explain the reason for Gama’s exclusion on Monday. Meanwhile, he tried in the call-ups to put together the historic group with some new players (such as Julie Piga, defender of Fleury with an Italian passport). The national team meets at the sports park in Riscone di Brunico for four days of preparation, then will move to Ferrara where they will play in friendly against Morocco (6.15 pm, Rai2). On 4th July we leave for New Zealand, on 10th July the definitive list will be delivered which will see the group skimmed from the current 34 to 23 players. The debut in Auckland on July 24 against Argentina.

Italy squad

Goalkeepers: Rachele Baldi (Fiorentina), Francesca Durante (Inter), Laura Giuliani (Milan), Katja Schroffenegger (Fiorentina).
Defenders: Elisa Bartoli (Roma), Valentina Bergamaschi (Milan), Lisa Boattin (Juventus), Lucia Di Guglielmo (Roma), Maria Luisa Filangeri (Sassuolo), Martina Lenzini (Juventus), Elena Linari (Roma), Beatrice Merlo (Inter), Benedetta Orsi (Sassuolo), Julie Piga (FC Fleury 91), Chiara Robustellini (Inter), Cecilia Salvai (Juventus).
Midfielders: Arianna Caruso (Juventus), Valentina Cernoia (Juventus), Giulia Dragoni (Barcelona), Manuela Giugliano (Roma), Giada Greggi (Roma), Emma Severini (Fiorentina), Eva Schatzer (Juventus), Flaminia Simonetti (Inter). Forwards: Chiara Beccari (Como Women), Barbara Bonansea (Juventus), Sofia Cantore (Juventus), Valentina Giacinti (Rome), Cristiana Girelli (Juventus), Benedetta Glionna (Rome), Martina Piemonte (Milan), Annamaria Serturini (Rome).