Rome - ANSA
Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci was included in Italy\'s definitive 23-man squad for Euro 2012 on Tuesday even though he is one of the many Italian players being probed for alleged match-fixing. Zenit Saint Petersburg full back Domenico Criscito was dropped from coach Cesare Prandelli\'s squad on Monday after being served notice at the Azzurri training camp that he was being probed as part of a huge investigation. Prandelli has said Bonucci\'s case is different because he has not received any official notification he is being probed. The Italian Soccer Federation (FIGC) has also given its backing to Bonucci being included in the squad. \"There is no reason not to have Bonucci present (at Euro 2012) in Ukraine and Poland,\" FIGC chief Giancarlo Abete said on Italian radio. The new probes into betting-related match-fixing have rocked Italian soccer again six years after Juventus were relegated and stripped of two Serie A titles for involvement in the Calciopoli scandal, which regarded attempts to arrange compliant referees for some teams\' matches. Juventus boss Antonio Conte is being probed for alleged wrongdoing related to when he was in charge of Siena in the second tier in the 2010-11 season and Lazio midfielder Stefano Mauro was among 14 people arrested on Monday. Italy and AS Roma midfielder Daniele De Rossi has said the situation is even grimmer that it was when Calciopoli exploded shortly before the 2006 World Cup, which the Azzurri went on to win. Over 40 people have been arrested, including former Italy internationals Beppe Signori and Cristiano Doni, since the Cremona-based \'Last Bet\' probe into match-fixing in Serie A and the lower tiers went public last year. Around 150 people involved in professional football in Italy are being investigated. \"This is worse than 2006,\" said De Rossi, a member of that World Cup-winning team. \"The police did not enter (Italy\'s training complex near Florence) Coverciano then. And then we have the arrests, involving many friends and ex-teammates that I know. \"The fear is that there is some truth behind all this, behind the hope that they will prove themselves innocent\". Prandelli axed Inter Milan defender Andrea Ranocchia and Siena forward Mattia Destro from his definitive squad on Tuesday after having trimmed it from 32 to 25 on Monday. His side, who are in the same group as Ireland, Croatia and European and world champions Spain at Euro 2012, were scheduled to face Luxembourg later on Tuesday in the first of two pre-tournament friendlies but the match was called off because of the deadly earthquake that struck northern Italy early in the day. Italy\'s Euro 2012 squad is as follows: Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli), Salvatore Sirigu (Paris St Germain); Defenders: Ignazio Abate (AC Milan), Federico Balzaretti (Palermo), Andrea Barzagli (Juventus), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Christian Maggio (Napoli), Angelo Obinze Ogbonna (Torino). Midfielders: Daniele De Rossi (AS Roma), Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna), Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus), Claudio Marchisio (Juventus), Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina), Thiago Motta (Paris St Germain), Antonio Nocerino (Milan), Andrea Pirlo (Juventus); Forwards: Mario Balotelli (Manchester City), Fabio Borini (Roma), Antonio Cassano (Milan), Antonio Di Natale (Udinese), Sebastian Giovinco (Parma).