Italy look to Marco Verratti, Stephan El Shaarawy and Mario Balotelli for tonight’s friendly test against France.

Italy look to Marco Verratti, Stephan El Shaarawy and Mario Balotelli for tonight’s friendly test against France.

Cesare Prandelli has chosen an experimental 4-3-3 formation for the test at Parma’s Stadio Tardini, kick-off at 20.00 GMT.

Several top stars are rested, giving Verratti his first start for the senior Italy squad in the Andrea Pirlo role.

He is joined by fellow Paris Saint-Germain teammate Salvatore Sirigu in goal, as both these players are familiar to the French side.

Antonio Candreva completes the trident with Balotelli and Milan hitman El Shaarawy.

Newcastle United’s Davide Santon and Roma midfielder Alessandro Florenzi are expected to come on during the second half.

France run out under the orders of Coach Didier Deschamps, formerly of Juventus” data-scaytid=”19″>Juventus as both player and tactician.

Franck Ribery and Arsenal’s Olivier Giroud are joined by Mathieu Valbuena rather than ex-Roma winger Jeremy Menez.

Karim Benzema and Yohan Cabaye picked up injuries in training and Les Bleus hope to follow on from last month’s impressive 1-1 draw in Spain.

The Stadio Tardini is sold out for this match, including 5,000 women in the stands with free tickets.

Italy: Sirigu; Maggio, Barzagli, Chiellini, Balzaretti; Montolivo, Verratti, Marchisio; Candreva, Balotelli, El Shaarawy

Italy bench: Buffon, De Sanctis, Astori, Bonucci, Peluso, Santon, Florenzi, Giaccherini, Pirlo, Diamanti, Destro, Giovinco, Viviano

France: Lloris; Debuchy, Sakho, Koscielny, Evra; Capoue, Matuidi, Sissoko; Valbuena, Giroud, Ribery

France bench: Mandanda, Landreau, Rami, Reveillere, Yanga-Mbiwa, Tremoulinas, Gonalons, Gourcouff, Cabaye, Menez, Payet, Gomis

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Tickets Kit Collector