Italy leave out Montolivo

Fiorentina midfielder Riccardo Montolivo has been cut from Italy's Euro 2008 squad, an Italian federation spokesman said on Wednesday.

Italy coach Roberto Donadoni named a 24-man squad last week and waited until the UEFA deadline to decide on the one player he had to drop ahead of June's tournament in Austria and Switzerland.

Montolivo, who has one cap, had been expected to be the unlucky player having been a surprise pick in the initial squad. Udinese striker Fabio Quagliarella and AS Roma midfielder Alberto Aquilani were the other likely contenders.

Midfielder Simone Perrotta has also recovered from a slight calf problem.

The world champions face Belgium in a friendly in Florence on Friday ahead of their Euro 2008 Group C matches against the Netherlands, Romania and France.

Italy's 23-man squad:

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Marco Amelia (Livorno), Morgan De Sanctis (Sevilla)

Defenders: Fabio Cannavaro (Real Madrid), Marco Materazzi (Inter Milan), Christian Panucci (AS Roma), Andrea Barzagli (Palermo), Gianluca Zambrotta (Barcelona), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Fabio Grosso (Lyon)

Midfielders: Andrea Pirlo (AC Milan), Gennaro Gattuso (AC Milan), Massimo Ambrosini (AC Milan), Daniele De Rossi (AS Roma), Simone Perrotta (AS Roma), Alberto Aquilani (AS Roma), Mauro Camoranesi (Juventus)

Forwards: Luca Toni (Bayern Munich), Alessandro Del Piero (Juventus), Antonio Di Natale (Udinese), Marco Borriello (Genoa), Fabio Quagliarella (Udinese), Antonio Cassano (Sampdoria, on loan from Real Madrid)