Veteran Zambrotta earns Italy recall

Veteran AC Milan full-back Gianluca Zambrotta is amongst four changes to the Italy squad for this month’s Euro 2012 qualifiers against Northern Ireland and Serbia.

Coach Cesare Prandelli recalled the 33-year-old alongside his club team-mate striker Marco Borriello, Genoa full-back Domenico Criscito and Lazio midfielder Stefano Mauri.

Defenders Lorenzo De Silvestri of Fiorentina and Stuttgart’s Cristian Molinaro as well as midfielder Riccardo Montolivo of Fiorentina and Juventus striker Fabio Quagliarella miss out from the squad picked for last month’s qualifiers against Estonia and Faroe Islands.

Italy lead Group C following their two victories last month.

They play away to Northern Ireland on Friday before hosting Serbia in Genoa the following Tuesday October 12.

Italy squad:

Goalkeepers: Antonio Mirante (Parma), Salvatore Sirigu (Palermo), Emiliano Viviano (Bologna)

Defenders: Luca Antonelli (Parma), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Cesare Bovo (Palermo), Mattia Cassani (Palermo), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Domenico Criscito (Genoa), Daniele Gastaldello (Sampdoria), Gianluca Zambrotta (AC Milan)

Midfielders: Daniele De Rossi (Roma), Andrea Lazzari (Cagliari), Claudio Marchisio (Juventus), Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina), Angelo Palombo (Sampdoria), Stefano Mauri (Lazio), Simone Pepe (Juventus)

Attackers: Antonio Cassano (Sampdoria), Alberto Gilardino (Fiorentina), Giampaolo Pazzini (Sampdoria), Marco Borriello (AC Milan), Giuseppe Rossi (Villarreal/ESP)