Italy Coach Marcello Lippi overlooking Fabrizio Miccoli is unforgivable

So there were absolutely zero surprises in Marcello Lippi’s 29-man squad to gather in Rome this week. It’s not the final 23, but you can be 99.9 per cent certain that nobody from outside this list – Roma players apart – will be present when Italy take on Paraguay in their World Cup opener in six weeks time.

All of which means the widespread public calls for Sampdoria’s Antonio Cassano, which have barely stopped since the tactician took the reins back from Roberto Donadoni two years ago, have been completely ignored. So too have the more recent pleas for an inclusion for Fabrizio Miccoli of Palermo, who has struck upon the greatest run of his professional career over recent months as the unheralded Sicilians have moved to within two wins of a sensational Champions League appearance.

It is also believed that Inter striker Mario Balotelli will miss out on the final cut, although his exclusion from Lippi’s training party could be explained away by Inter’s participation in the Coppa Italia final tomorrow night, with a decision on Roma’s Francesco Totti being delayed for similar reasons. However, with a u-turn having not been made on other more experienced players, it is highly unlikely that ‘SuperMario’ will get a late call. As Goal.com’s Carlo Garganese argued yesterday, the head coach has decimated one of the best groups of forwards in international football by choosing to ignore much of the greatest talent at his disposal.

The case of Cassano has been debated long and hard for a lengthy period now, whilst there’s something new to talk about with Balotelli by the day. But, the story of Miccoli has become the more fascinating read.

Having suffered during his Juventus days due to his poor relationship with then-director general Luciano Moggi, the ‘Romario del Salento’ has been the centerpiece of the Palermo side since arriving in Sicily in 2007. But only this season has his real potential as a big game player shone through. With finishes in or around mid-table having become the norm in the six years since the Rosanero gained promotion, this campaign has seen the club excel thanks to the players’ united belief in each other’s abilities.

And nobody in that side has more natural ability than Miccoli. Here in Siena on Sunday, the diminutive striker proved his fantastic ability once again, striking a vital second to put Palermo out of sight in a show of great skill, poise, mentality and finishing ability. His 18th league goal of the season also sent him into joint first position in the club’s list of all time top-flight goalscorers.

But it’s not just his goals which have sent him rocketing into analysts’ minds when they talk of possible Azzurri wild cards. Despite his modest 5ft 5in frame, he has demonstrated the stature and self confidence of a man twice his size, with his performances getting better and better in the face of some monumental fixtures in recent months. Nobody is in the vein of form which Miccoli can boast right now… Nobody.

With Palermo having first moved up to fourth spot after a Miccoli-inspired 2-0 win at Juventus, they have since shown great mental toughness to remain in with a strong chance of top continental football with only two games to go, despite having faced Inter and Milan at home and made difficult trips to Cagliari and Genoa in that time. And much of that form can be attributed to the pint-sized attacker. Having bagged eight goals in his last six appearances, the former Benfica man has risen to the occasion at a time when many of his team-mates are dipping their toes in uncharted waters.

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