Italy lose World Cup heroes for Bulgaria clash

By Angel Krasimirov

SOFIA (Reuters) - Injuries and lack of form have forced Italy coach Marcello Lippi to look beyond his beloved 2006 World Cup winners and select fresh faces for the Group Eight qualifier in Bulgaria on Saturday (7:15 p.m. British time).

When he retook the job in June after the Azzurri's drab showing under Roberto Donadoni at Euro 2008, Lippi spoke of his joy at being reunited with his heroes from Berlin.

Just a few months and two fortunate qualifying wins over Cyprus and Georgia later, only eight of the 22-man squad for the game in Sofia were at the 2006 finals.

Striker Alessandro Del Piero, 33, is the most notable World Cup winner to be overlooked, while Gianluigi Buffon and Mauro Camoranesi were added to the list of injured players on Tuesday.

Of four new call-ups in the squad, Villarreal striker Giuseppe Rossi looks the most likely to start having impressed Lippi at the Beijing Olympics in August.

"He is an important player, up front he knows what to do," Lippi told a news conference.

Rossi, once of Manchester United, could slip into the right side of a three-pronged attack in the absence of Camoranesi.

Forward Antonio Di Natale, who scored twice in the 2-1 win in Cyprus last month, looks certain to play on the left with Fiorentina striker Alberto Gilardino likely to get the nod over struggling Luca Toni as the main frontman.