Door not closed on Del Piero says Lippi

Alessandro Del Piero's international career is not over despite being dropped for Italy's upcoming World Cup qualifiers, coach Marcello Lippi said yesterday.

The Juventus striker was left out of the squad for Saturday's Group Eight match against Bulgaria in Sofia and next Wednesday's game against Montenegro in Lecce.

The 33-year-old was continually overlooked by previous coach Roberto Donadoni but forced his way into the Euro 2008 squad after finishing top scorer in Serie A last season for the first time. His form has dipped for Juve in recent weeks.

"I called him, we talked," World Cup-winning coach Lippi told reporters.

"I wanted to look at some new players, I explained this to him and he understood. I also told him to continue doing what he has always done."

Despite a string of injuries to experienced players, with Gianluigi Buffon and Mauro Camoranesi added to the casualty list yesterday, Lippi called up uncapped quartet Fabiano Santacroce, Giuseppe Rossi, Simone Pepe and Christian Maggio.

Napoli defender Santacroce, born in Brazil, is one of the few black players to be called up by Italy. Racism remains a problem in Italian sport and society.

"We live in intolerant times. If the presence of Santacroce with the national team sends a message against racism, I am happy about that," added Lippi, who said he had not even thought about Santacroce's colour when picking his squad.

Lippi told reporters that Buffon would be replaced in the squad by Siena goalkeeper Gianluca Curci but that he would not call up anyone else.

"It is a period in which we have lots of injuries. It happens," Lippi said.

Buffon's place in the starting line-up is likely to go to Palermo's Marco Amelia. The Italy no. 1 will be out for around a month with a muscle tear in his right leg and will almost certainly miss Juventus's Champions League Group H match with Real Madrid on Oct. 21.

Juve team-mate Camoranesi also has a right leg injury with team doctor Enrico Castellacci expecting him to be out for 15-20 days.

Lippi, whose side were slightly fortunate to beat Cyprus and Georgia in their opening qualifiers in September, is also without Lyon defender Fabio Grosso and Juve pair Nicola Legrottaglie and Vincenzo Iaquinta through injury. Buffon and Camoranesi were also named in Sunday's squad despite worries over their fitness.