Romagnoli makes Italy grade for October qualifiers; Balotelli left out

AC Milan defender Alessio Romagnoli joined four other club teammates on Italy's senior side Saturday, while resurgent forward Mario Balotelli missed out on a first international call-up since the 2014 World Cup.

Despite a run of mediocrity in recent years, Milan is the most represented club on the national team for next week's World Cup qualifiers against Spain and Macedonia. Juventus is second with four predictable selections, including Gianluigi Buffon, Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci, and Giorgio Chiellini.

Daniele Rugani's injury paved the way for former Under-21 teammate Romagnoli to earn a second career call-up.

Also in Ventura's plans is Villarreal hot-shot Nicola Sansone, who's scored four goals in six matches to start his La Liga journey. It's his first Italy nod since June 2015.

Having missed Italy's first games under Ventura, Manchester United full-back Matteo Darmian is another player making his return to the international setup.

There was no room for Balotelli, who's reminded fans and critics of his scoring abilities with five goals in four matches for OGC Nice. Some onlookers suggested Balotelli would be handed an olive branch after two years of relative inactivity, but Ventura instead gave berths to Torino's Andrea Belotti, Inter's Eder, and Guangzhou Evergrande's Graziano Pelle.

Seventeen-year-old goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma has kept his place behind Buffon, with Mattia Perin beating Salvatore Sirigu and Federico Marchetti to the third post.

Goalkeepers: Buffon (Juventus), Donnarumma (AC Milan), Perin (Genoa)

Defenders: Davide Astori (Fiorentina), Barzagli (Juventus), Bonucci (Juventus), Chiellini (Juventus), Domenico Criscito (Zenit), Darmian (Manchester United), Mattia De Sciglio (AC Milan), Angelo Ogbonna (West Ham), Romagnoli (AC Milan)

Midfielders: Federico Bernardeschi (Fiorentina), Giacomo Bonaventura (AC Milan), Antonio Candreva (Inter), Daniele De Rossi (Roma), Alessandro Florenzi (Roma), Riccardo Montolivo (AC Milan), Marco Parolo (Lazio), Marco Verratti (Paris Saint-Germain)

Forwards: Belotti (Torino), Eder (Inter), Manolo Gabbiadini (Napoli), Ciro Immobile (Lazio), Pelle (Guangzhou Evergrande), Sansone (Villarreal)