U21: Lanzafame given Azzurrini chance

Bari forward Davide Lanzafame is the only new face in Pierluigi Casiraghi's 21-man squad for the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifier away to Azerbaijan in Baku on Tuesday.

Lanzafame, who has scored eight goals in 28 Serie B games this term, replaces Empoli striker Nicola Pozzi, who is out for the rest of the season with a knee injury.

Lanzafame will share the attacking duties with the in-form Pablo Daniel Osvaldo, Giuseppe Rossi and Robert Acquafresca.

The latter, who has scored four goals in his last four Serie A appearance with Cagliari, has this week turned down the opportunity of playing for Poland, where his mother comes from, at senior level.

"I thank Poland for their interest but I decided to continue playing for Italy," the 20-year-old said.

The Azzurrini have won six of their seven games in qualifying Group 1 and have a one-point lead over second-placed Croatia, who have played a game more.

The squad in full:
Goalkeepers: Enrico Alfonso (Venezia), Andrea Consigli (Rimini), Salvatore Sirigu (Cremonese).
Defenders: Antonio Bocchetti (Frosinone), Paolo De Ceglie (Siena), Lorenzo De Silvestri (Lazio), Lino Marzoratti (Empoli), Marco Motta (Torino), Francesco Pisano (Cagliari), Marco Rossi (Parma).
Midfielders: Francesco Bolzoni (Inter), Luca Cigarini (Parma), Daniele Dessena (Parma), Sebastian Giovinco (Empoli), Claudio Marchisio (Empoli), Piermario Morosini (Vicenza), Andrea Russotto (Treviso).
Attackers: Robert Acquafresca (Cagliari), Davide Lanzafame (Bari), Pablo Daniel Osvaldo (Fiorentina), Giuseppe Rossi (Villarreal).

Source: UEFA