Italy to experiment against Nigeria

Football | Italy

 Cesare Prandelli has opted to select an experimental Italian team for his side's clash with Nigeria.
The Azzurris face Stephen Keshi's men in an international friendly at Fulham’s Craven Cottage on November 18 and the 56-year-old Italian will look to use a host of relatively untried players for the game.

Prandelli had named a 28-man strong squad ahead of matches with Germany and Nigeria, and after the 1-1 draw with Germany on Friday, he said he plans to use Monday’s game as a chance to rotate his squad.
"This team can certainly improve and we’ve got to focus on having the right fitness levels in Brazil," he said.
"We now have two days to recover and the plan is to put out an entirely new team in the next game (against Nigeria)."

Prandelli will certainly be without Juventus defender Andrea Barzagli, who got injured against Germany and has returned to his club.
Among those likely to start are Italian-born Nigerian Angelo Ogbonna, reserve goalkeeper Federico Marchetti, Zenit Saint Petersburg defender Domenico Criscito and Parma’s Marco Parolo.
Ogbonna replaced Barzagli against Germany, while Criscito played after a year's absence in the same match. Parolo has made only one appearance for Italy.

Italy won the only previous encounter between the two sides, when they beat the Super Eagles 2-1 in the second round of the 1994 World Cup.