Lackluster Italy squad will rely heavily on Juventus' back line

If Italy is going to make any noise at Euro 2016, much of the burden (read: all of it) will fall on a familiar back line.

Antonio Conte named on Tuesday the 23-man squad tasked with trying to get the Azzurri one step further than they travelled four years ago, when the nation was brushed aside in the final of Euro 2012 by Spain.

(Courtesy: Italy)

Injuries to central-midfield stars Marco Verratti (groin) and Claudio Marchisio (knee) robbed Conte of arguably his two best players, and will see the fiery bench boss rely on the likes of veterans Daniele De Rossi and Thiago Motta, who have been named to the roster. The latter has, incredibly, been bestowed with the No. 10 kit.

Riccardo Montolivo, much to the delight of the fan base, was omitted over fitness concerns.

If nothing else, Conte will call upon Juventus' defensive quartet to provide some semblance of solidity, as Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci, and Giorgio Chiellini are locks to form a back-three in front of iconic shot-stopper Gianluigi Buffon.

Here is the squad in its entirety:

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Federico Marchetti (Lazio), Salvatore Sirigu (Paris).

Defenders: Andrea Barzagli (Juventus), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Matteo Darmian (Manchester United), Mattia De Sciglio (Milan), Angelo Ogbonna (West Ham).

Midfielders: Federico Bernardeschi (Fiorentina), Antonio Candreva (Lazio), Daniele De Rossi (Roma), Alessandro Florenzi (Roma), Emanuele Giaccherini (Bologna), Thiago Motta (Paris), Marco Parolo (Lazio), Stefano Sturaro (Juventus).

Forwards: Eder (Inter), Stephan El Shaarawy (Roma), Ciro Immobile (Torino), Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli), Graziano Pelle (Southampton), Simone Zaza (Juventus).

Italy will look to navigate its way out of Group D, which includes Belgium, Sweden and Ireland. The Azzurri's tournament begins against the Red Devils on June 13.