Italy Euro 2024 squad: Who has Luciano Spalletti decided to take to Germany?

Gigi Donnarumma continues to have his ups and downs at Paris Saint-Germain, but he remains Italy's undisputed No.1. The 25-year-old was sensational during the Azzurri's Euro 2020 victory, resulting in him becoming the first goalkeeper to win the Player of the Tournament award, and he will be just as crucial to his country's hopes of success this time around.

Indeed, an injury to Donnarumma would be a disaster for Italy, given Alex Meret has just three caps to his name and Guglielmo Vicario only one.

Spalletti's former captain at Napoli, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, will obviously have a major role to play, whether at right-back or centrally as part of a three-man defence, while Inter duo Federico Dimarco and Alessandro Bastoni are almost certain to start. Francesco Acerbi would most likely have featured in Spalletti's first 11, too, but the veteran was forced to withdraw through injury, meaning opportunity knocks for another centre-back.

Alessandro Buongiorno is certainly a strong contender to take Acerbi's place. The Torino centre-back gave away a penalty in the March friendly against Venezuela but was immense in the crucial qualifier draw with Ukraine, in what was just his second cap.

Gianluca Mancini has also come back into the frame, but don't rule out Riccardo Calafiori, the converted full-back who was a revelation at centre-half this season for Serie A's surprise package, Bologna.

Elsewhere, the loss of Tottenham left-back Destiny Udogie to injury has created room for the uncapped but versatile Andrea Cambiaso. On the opposite side, Matteo Darmian is 34 now but represents a solid option - perhaps even on the right-side of a three-man defence, although Raoul Bellanova is the more likely starter if Spalletti plays with wing-backs, given the Torino man was hugely impressive in the friendly against Ecuador.

Jorginho's return to form at Arsenal is excellent news for Italy because the 32-year-old is expected to anchor a midfield that will, fitness-permitting, also feature the dynamic Nicolo Barella, who scored a great goal against Ecuador.

After that, it pretty much depends on whether Spalletti opts to play his usual 4-3-3 or embraces the 3-4-2-1 formation he experimented with during the March internationals. Whatever he does, Lorenzo Pellegrini should be involved, given his fine form for club and country, and his ability to play in a midfield three or as a more advanced attacking midfielder playing off a striker.

Elsewhere, Davide Frattesi isn't a regular at Inter but has developed a very nice knack of scoring for the national team, meaning he could easily force his way into the first team, while Nicolo Fagioli has been included despite making his one and only previous appearance for Italy all the way back in November 2022 - as well as missing almost the entire season through suspension after being banned for illegal betting activity.

Roma's Bryan Cristante was always likely to be included in the travelling party but Michael Folorunsho was something of a bolter, with the Napoli-owned midfielder sneaking into the squad after a good season on loan to Verona.

Once again, attack is Italy's major weak point. They simply do not have a world-class No.9. Gianluca Scamacca has just one goal in 15 appearances for his country but, in fairness, to the Atalanta attacker, he has responded well to being dropped for the March internationals and has been recalled for the Euros.

At one point, Giacomo Raspadori seemed the man most likely to lead the line in Germany, but he's probably been overtaken in the pecking order by Mateo Retegui, the naturalised Argentinian (further evidence of Italy's desperate search for a striker!) who joined Genoa from Boca Juniors last year and has already netted four times in seven appearances for his adopted nation.

Given the lack of quality options at No.9, the Azzurri desperately need winger Federico Chiesa to recapture his Euro 2020 form, while Spalletti could also do with Roma's painfully inconsistent Stephan El Shaarawy proving his worth too.

Indeed, the way is most definitely clear for someone to emerge as an unlikely hero in Germany, maybe even Lazio winger Mattia Zaccagni, who had made the squad ahead of Bologna's Riccardo Orsolini.

Donnarumma picks himself in goal, obviously, and Bastoni and Dimarco should start whether Italy play with a three- or four-man defence. Jorginho, Barella and Pellegrini are locks in midfield, while Chiesa will take up his preferred place on the left wing if he's fully fit (always a concern with the Juve man).

The make-up of the rest of the team is a little less clear at this point because of the uncertainty over the formation. However, if Spalletti decides to go with the 3-4-2-1, we could see Di Lorenzo and Bastoni either side of Buongiorno.

Bellanova has put himself into contention to start on the right flank, while the recalled Scamacca now has every chance of starting given he's actually been in good form in recent weeks and months - unlike many of his rivals for the No.9 shirt.

Italy XI (3-4-2-1): Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Buongiorno, Bastoni; Bellanova, Barella, Jorginho, Dimarco; Pellegrini, Chiesa; Scamacca.

Obviously, the most important aspect of Sandro Tonali's 10-month suspension for illegal betting activity is that the Newcastle ace is getting the treatment he needs for his gambling problem - but his ban undeniably came as a major blow to Italy, given the midfielder would have probably started in Germany.

Domenico Berardi would also have been pushing for inclusion in the first 11, but the Sassuolo winger, who was a key member of the squad that won Euro 2020, has been ruled out action until next year after undergoing surgery on a complete tear of the Achilles tendon in his right leg.

Acerbi being sidelined by a groin problem just over a fortnight before the tournament is a massive blow, and that was only exacerbated after his potential replacement, Giorgio Scalvini, tore his ACL in Atalanta's final Serie A match of the campaign. Udogie, meanwhile, may not have started in Germany, but he would have definitely made the squad had he not been forced to undergo surgery on a thigh problem that means he won't play again until the start of next season.

Nicolo Zaniolo, who spent this season on loan at Aston Villa, is also out of contention after suffering a microfracture in his foot in a Premier League clash with Liverpool, meaning Spalletti will have even less options in attack.

Elsewhere, Marco Verratti, one of the heroes of Euro 2020, won't be called upon to help Italy defend their crown, given his fitness problems and the fact that he's now plying his trade in Qatar, while Roma's Leonardo Spinazzola has been omitted from the provisional squad because of his failure to get back to his best after being dogged by injuries for the past few years.

Last but not least, Ivan Provedel, Samuele Ricci and Orsoloni were all included in Spalletti's provisional panel but didn't make the final cut.