Italy coach Cesare Prandelli has named his side's starting lineup for their friendly international against Germany in Milan on Friday.

Fiorentina striker Giuseppe Rossi is out of the match at the San Siro after failing to recover from his illness and tonsillitis, with Mario Balotelli and Pablo Osvaldo being deployed as the two strikers for the Azzurri.

AC Milan captain Riccardo Montolivo will be the creator-in-chief for the Italians and will be joined in midfield by Andrea Pirlo, Claudio Marchisio and Thiago Motta.

Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon will continue to start in goal for the 2006 World Cup winners, with Ignazio Abate, Domenico Criscito, Andrea Barzagli and Leonardo Bonucci in front of him in defence.

Italy starting lineup: Buffon; Abate, Criscito, Barzagli, Bonucci; Pirlo, Marchisio, Thiago Motta; Montolivo; Balotelli, Osvaldo

Written by
Subhankar Mondal