Italy snub Balotelli

ROME, Italy (AP):

Mario Balotelli has again been left out of the Italy squad despite the Italian Football Federation president publicly calling for him to be included this week for the upcoming European qualifiers against Bosnia-Herzegovina and Armenia.

Balotelli has not been called up by Italy coach Roberto Mancini for more than a year, but FIGC head Gabriele Gravina had said that naming him in the squad would send a strong message after the Brescia forward was racially abused at the weekend.

Balotelli’s teammate, defender Andrea Cistana, was handed a first-ever call-up yesterday, as were Fiorentina midfielder Gaetano Castrovilli and Bologna forward Riccardo Orsolini.

Italy have already qualified for next year’s European Championship but victory against Bosnia on Friday would be a 10th successive win for the Azzurri, beating the national team’s record set under Vittorio Pozzo between 1938-39.