Italian national team coach Antonio Conte recently announced a 30-man provisional squad for the upcoming Euro 2016 tournament, being held in France and set to kick off next month in June.
However, the former Juventus boss raised a few eyebrows by his team selection, mainly for his decision to leave out two big names: Andrea Pirlo and Sebastian Giovinco.
The two Azzuri internationals who currently ply their trade in Major League Soccer worked under Conte during his days as The Old Lady manager, with Pirlo in particular being the Italian tactician’s most trusted soldier.
However, the decision to leave the midfield maestro out of the squad could easily spell the end of his international career, with Conte claiming this to be a consequence of leaving Europe for North America.
“I spoke to Andrea, I needed to hear from him and we sent people to the US,” the Chelsea-bound manager revealed in a press conference, as per Football Italia.
“However, we’ve made other choices and you have to accept them and deal with the consequences. Nothing was left to chance.
“We evaluated him and Giovinco, it’s normal that if you choose to go and play there then you can pay the consequences in footballing terms.
“We evaluated them technically, we didn’t leave anything to chance. Anyone who thinks otherwise is wrong, we went everywhere to have clear and precise ideas.
“I picked the 30 who I think will give me the most guarantees.”
Pirlo, at 37, can wave farewell to Italy having enjoyed a memorable international career which saw him win a World Cup in 2006 and grab a Euro runners-up medal in 2012. However, the doors to a return to the national side appear shut for 29-year-old Giovinco.
However, with Conte set to depart his position for the Premier League after Euro 2016, the Toronto FC striker may find national team call-ups attainable once more once a new manager is named.
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