Mario Balotelli, Pablo Daniel Osvaldo and Morgan De Sanctis are in the starting XI as Italy welcome Nicklas Bendtner’s Denmark to San Siro in the World Cup qualifier.

Mario Balotelli, Pablo Daniel Osvaldo and Morgan De Sanctis are in the starting XI as Italy welcome Nicklas Bendtner’s Denmark to San Siro in the World Cup qualifier.

The match kicks off at 19.45 BST and Cesare Prandelli makes numerous changes from the side that won 3-1 in Armenia on Friday.

Some are forced upon him, as Gianluigi Buffon failed a fitness test on his minor thigh strain, so Napoli goalkeeper De Sanctis takes the gloves.

Balotelli has now recovered from a bout of flu and makes his first appearance in the Italy jersey since the Euro 2012 Final.

The wayward Manchester City striker is partnered by Roma forward Osvaldo, who scored in Armenia, with Riccardo Montolivo in the ‘hole.’

The defence is completely revamped with Giorgio Chiellini, Ignazio Abate and Federico Balzaretti stepping in for Andrea Bonucci, Christian Maggio and Domenico Criscito.

Denmark’s danger man is Bendtner, who has played a grand total of 10 minutes in Serie A with Juventus since arriving on loan from Arsenal in the summer.

Other familiar faces include ex-Roma defender Simon Kjaer and Krohn-Dehli, who impressed at Euro 2012.

Italy: De Sanctis; Abate, Barzagli, Chiellini, Balzaretti; De Rossi, Pirlo, Marchisio; Montolivo; Balotelli, Osvaldo

Denmark: Andersen; Jacobsen, Kjaer, Agger, S Poulsen; Rommedahl, Stokholm, Kvist, Eriksen; Krohn-Dehli, Bendtner

Ref: Skomina (SLO)

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