Donadoni to experiment vs Turkey

Milan: Italy coach Roberto Donadoni will use the world champions' friendly against Turkey in Bergamo on Wednesday to experiment ahead of next year's European championship qualifiers.

Donadoni has only included two uncapped players - midfielders Alberto Aquilani and Cristian Brocchi - but with several fringe players in his 20-man squad he says he will make the most of the chance to give as many as possible a run-out.

"Against Turkey I'll have a look at plenty of players. Thanks to a FIFA decision we will be able to make eight substitutions plus the goalkeeper," said the Italy coach.

Donadoni has been forced to change due to injuries to several of Italy's regulars, including midfielders Gennaro Gattuso and Simone Perrotta, and strikers Alessandro Del Piero, Luca Toni and David Di Michele.

Roma midfielder Aquilani and Milan's Brocchi could both make their debuts against the Turks and Donadoni defended his call-up of the pair.

"I called up Aquilani from the Under-21's because he is one of the most promising young players in Italy. I don't know if I will use him but it was right to take a look at him with the full national side - it was a necessary step," he said.

The 30-year-old Brocchi's arrival in the Azzurri set-up, after spending most of his career as a back-up player at Inter Milan and AC Milan, has raised some eyebrows but Donadoni insisted he was a sensible choice as a replacement for club-mate Gattuso.

"He is the right replacement for someone we have to be without. It is not a reward for his career, he simply deserved this call-up," said the Italy coach.

Wins against Ukraine and Georgia have boosted Italy's qualification hopes in European Championship Group B after a slow start with a defeat to France and draw at home to Lithuania.

Probable teams:

Italy: Gianluigi Buffon; Massimo Oddo, Fabio Cannavaro, Marco Materazzi, Gianluca Zambrotta; Mauro Camoranesi, Cristian Brocchi, Daniele De Rossi, Simone Barone; Alberto Gilardino, Antonio Di Natale.

Turkey: Rustu Recber; Servet Cetin, Gokhan Zan, Hamit Altintop, Ibrahim Uzulmez; Emre Belozoglu, Mehmet Aurelio, Sabri Sarioglu, Arda Turan; Tuncay Sanli, Hakan Sukur.