Azzurri: Abbiati pulls out

Christian Abbiati is out of the Euro 2008 qualifiers with France and Ukraine, so Roma’s Gianluca Curci has been called instead.

The former Milan, Juventus and Torino goalkeeper was the understudy to Gianluigi Buffon and was set to sit on the bench.

However, he was diagnosed with muscular problems during today’s first get-together at Coverciano and the Italy medical staff sent him home.

Abbiati had sat on the bench for Atletico Madrid’s Liga derby defeat to Real Madrid last week and has not actually played for Italy since the 1-1 friendly with the Ivory Coast on November 16, 2005.

In his place, Donadoni has called in Roma reserve ‘keeper and Under-21 international Curci. This is not his first call, as Curci had already been on the sidelines for the 3-1 friendly win in Hungary on August 22, 2007.

Italy face France at San Siro on September 8 and Ukraine away from home next Wednesday evening.

Source: C4 Football Italia