Friendly preview: Italy v Germany

Brazilian-born midfielder Thiago Motta could make his Italy debut in the friendly international against Germany on Wednesday.

Inter Milan’s Motta, 28, last represented Brazil at under-23 level in 2003 but is eligible to play for Italy through his Italian grandfather.

Centre-forward Alessandro Matri, who joined Juventus on loan from Cagliari in January, received his first call-up to the national team, as did attacking midfielder Sebastian Giovinco, who is on loan at Parma from Juventus.

First-choice goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon returns for the first time since recovering from the long-term back problem he sustained on international duty at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Striker Giampaolo Pazzini, who moved from Sampdoria to Serie A champions Inter in January, has also been recalled.

Germany will be without Bayern Munich front-man Mario Gomez after he tweaked a knee ligament in the 3-2 Bundesliga defeat to Cologne on Saturday.

National coach Joachim Loew has not selected a replacement, leaving fellow Bayern forwards Miroslav Klose and Thomas Mueller and Cologne’s Lukas Podolski to choose from in attack.

Loew has included five players from runaway Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund, but former Germany captain Michael Ballack, who has only made two appearances for Bayer Leverkusen since returning from a broken leg, was not selected.

Both sides were in friendly action in November, when Italy drew 1-1 with Romania and Germany were held 0-0 away to Sweden.

The last meeting between the countries came at the 2006 World Cup, where Italy accounted for hosts Germany 2-0 in the semi-finals on their way to winning the competition.

Italy squad:

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon, Salvatore Sirigu, Emanuele Viviano.

Defenders: Davide Astori, Leonardo Bonucci, Mattia Cassani, Giorgio Chiellini, Domenico Criscito, Christian Maggio, Andrea Ranocchia.

Midfielders: Alberto Aquilani, Daniele De Rossi, Sebastian Giovinco, Stefano Mauri, Riccardo Montolivio, Thiago Motta, Antonio Nocerino, Angelo Palombo.

Strikers: Marco Borriello, Antonio Cassano, Alessandro Matri, Giampaolo Pazzini, Giuseppe Rossi.

Germany squad:

Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer, Rene Adler.

Defenders: Dennis Aogo, Per Mertesacker, Philipp Lahm, Holger Badstuber, Jerome Boateng, Mats Hummels, Arne Friedrich, Heiko Westermann, Marcel Schmelzer.

Midfielders: Bastian Schweinsteiger, Sami Khedira, Mesut Ozil, Christian Traesch, Mario Goetze, Sven Bender, Kevin Grosskreutz.

Forwards: Miroslav Klose, Mario Gomez, Thomas Mueller, Lukas Podolski.