How Italy could line up against Bulgaria

Only weeks after their European Championship triumph, Roberto Mancini's Italy are back in World Cup qualifying action this week - starting with Thursday's visit of Bulgaria.

To cater for a hectic schedule of three games in six days, the Azzurri coach initially called up 34 players to represent the nation which, incidentally, are unbeaten in 34 competitive games.

Twenty-five of the 26 players who featured at the Euros will be present in Florence, with only long-term injury victim Leonardo Spinazzola missing out as he continues his long path to recovery from a ruptured Achilles.

However, Spinazzola's highly-regarded Roma colleague Nicolo Zaniolo returns after suffering two ACL tears in consecutive years and Sassuolo striker Gianluca . . .