ITALY
Italy coach Antonio Conte cut several Euro 2016 hopefuls from a preliminary squad on Monday as he unveiled a 30-man squad for the Azzurri’s second pre-competition training camp.
Italy will head to the June 10-July 10 tournament in France looking to reach a second successive final but facing a formidable challenge after failing to get past the first round at the past two editions of the World Cup.
New York City FC midfielder Andrea Pirlo and AC Milan’s on-loan Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli were among the big names missing when Conte named his preliminary squad last week for a first training camp following the conclusion of Serie A and many other leagues around Europe.
It now looks certain that neither player will feature at Euro 2016, where Italy will also be without key midfielder Marco Verratti (Paris Saint-Germain) and Claudio Marchisio (Juventus) through injury.
Conte’s squad last week also did not include players from Juventus, AC Milan and other teams who were involved in Cup finals last weekend and they have all returned to the fray.
A statement from the Italian football federation said Conte, who will take over at Premier League giants Chelsea after the summer, will name his final 23-man squad for Euro 2016 on May 31.
Italy host Scotland in a pre-tournament friendly in Malta on Sunday, and then host Finland on June 6 in Verona.
Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Federico Marchetti (Lazio), Salvatore Sirigu (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA)
Defenders: Davide Astori (Fiorentina), Andrea Barzagli (Juventus), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Angelo Ogbonna (West Ham/ENG), Daniele Rugani (Juventus)
Midfielders: Marco Benassi (Torino), Federico Bernardeschi (Fiorentina), Giacomo Bonaventura (Milan), Antonio Candreva (Lazio), Matteo Darmian (Manchester United), Daniele De Rossi (Roma), Mattia De Sciglio (AC Milan), Stephan El Shaarawy (Roma), Alessandro Florenzi (Roma), Emanuele Giaccherini (Bologna), Jorge Luiz Jorginho (Napoli), Riccardo Montolivo (AC Milan), Thiago Motta (Paris Saint Germain/FRA), Marco Parolo (Lazio), Stefano Sturaro (Juventus), Davide Zappacosta (Torino)
Forwards: Citadin Martins Eder (Inter Milan), Ciro Immobile (Torino), Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli), Graziano Pelle (Southampton/ENG), Simone Zaza (Juventus)
WALES
Chris Coleman has agreed a new two-year contract to stay as Wales manager until 2018.
Coleman has been rewarded for leading Wales to Euro 2016, their first international tournament finals since 1958.
The 45-year-old, who was appointed in 2012, will now also be in charge of the qualifying campaign for the 2018 World Cup.
“I am delighted at having the honour of leading my country into another campaign,” Coleman said.
“It is a big challenge but I believe it is one we can conquer.”
ENGLAND
Jamie Vardy will miss England's last friendly before Roy Hodgson finalises his Euro 2016 squad as the Leicester City striker is getting married.
Vardy, 29, followed up a remarkable campaign by scoring in a third successive match for his country against Turkey in Manchester on Sunday.
Harry Kane’s early opener was quickly cancelled out by Hakan Calhanoglu at the Etihad Stadium, where Fatih Terim’s men threatened to secure a first win against England.
However, a second-half change in system saw Vardy move from a wider position to form a two-pronged strike force with Kane, a move that quickly paid dividends as his pace and directness earned a penalty.
Tottenham striker Kane missed the spot kick but his Leicester counterpart saved is blushes by firing home from close range, wrapping up a 2-1 win that Hodgson says will be Vardy’s last England display before the 23-man squad for the European Championship is named.
See also:
• Richard Jolly: In Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy, England have two enviable centre forwards – use them both
• Gallery: Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy put England on right Euro 2016 foot with Turkey win
• The National's Euro 2016 predictions: Winners, flops, top scorer and player of the tournament
“Vardy won’t be involved on Friday because he is getting married on Wednesday,” Hodgson said, referring to the friendly against Australia at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland.
“That, you could say, is unfortunate but you must bear in mind last year his wedding was planned during the month of June and I called him up for the international matches and he cancelled his wedding.
“I think he deserves that possibility to get married here.”
Hodgson is unsure why the wedding was planned for Wednesday, but suggests that Vardy had, quite understandably, not expected to be called into England duty so soon after the season ended.
The England manager also highlighted the fact that Vardy is not desperately needed for the Australia match, considering his recent displays and the fact his squad is boosted by a clutch of players.
“I don’t think his place in the team or the squad at the moment is under enormous threat and we do have other players to see that we need to look at,” Hodgson said.
“In some ways, as a second preparation game, it hasn’t caused any particular problems.”
Vardy, though, appears keen to return before for the Australia match in order to press home his already impressive Euro 2016 credentials.
“I get married on Wednesday,” the striker said after the match. “The boss has given me Wednesday off to get married but I’ll be back in training after that.”
Vardy’s determination to play will no doubt please Hodgson, even if his presence is not necessarily required.
Manchester United and Liverpool’s absent players will join up with England on Monday, with teenager Marcus Rashford getting his first taste with the senior team just three months after making his club debut.
Rashford, 18, impressed in United's FA Cup final win against Crystal Palace, but picked up a knee complaint that needs assessing by the England medical staff.
“You might want to ask me about Rashford’s fitness and I’ll have to answer that I don’t know,” Hodgson said.
“We believe it is not a serious injury but he obviously took a nasty knock and we’ll have to wait and see how he turns up.”
RUSSIA
Russia midfielder Alan Dzagoev has been ruled out of Euro 2016 after fracturing a bone in his foot, with the CSKA midfielder replaced in the 23-man squad by Dmitri Torbinsky.
“Today, [Dzagoev] underwent a medical exam after which it was established he suffered a fracture to the second metatarsal,” the Russian Football Union (RFS) said in a statement on Sunday.
“FC Krasnodar midfielder Dmitri Torbinsky has been called up,” the RFS added.
Dzagoev, 25, was hurt during CSKA’s 1-0 win at Rubin Kazan on Saturday, in which he scored the only goal after 19 minutes to hand the Moscow club a sixth Russian Premier League title.
FRANCE
MADRID // Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane is a serious doubt for next weekend's Uefa Champions League final against Atletico Madrid and the start of France's Euro 2016 campaign after suffering a hamstring injury, Real confirmed on Sunday.
“After tests carried out today Raphael Varane has been diagnosed with a grade two injury in his left hamstring,” Madrid said in a statement.
“His recovery will continue to be assessed.”
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• Steve Luckings: Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid, Dubai Darts Masters and five must-see events in the UAE
• Diego Simeone: Zinedine Zidane has given Real Madrid 'more concrete style'
• The National's Euro 2016 predictions: Winners, flops, top scorer and player of the tournament
Madrid sports dailies Marca and AS reported Varane will miss Saturday's final in Milan.
Varane was unlikely to start against Atletico in any case with captain Sergio Ramos and Pepe manager Zinedine Zidane’s preferred central defensive partnership.
However, the injury could be a severe blow to France’s hopes of landing Euro 2016 on home soil.
AS reported Varane could be out for up to three weeks, which would see the 23-year-old centre-back miss the opening game of the Euros against Romania on June 10.
France manager Didier Deschamps is already without a key defender as Liverpool’s Mamadou Sakho was left out of his 23-man squad for the tournament due to a provisional doping ban.
