Italy Under-21 coach Ciro Ferrara believes Fabio Borini and Mattia Destro are ready for Euro 2012 after being selected in Cesare Prandelli's provisional 32-man squad.
Both forwards have been named in the Azzurri's original list of players which will be cut down to 23 on May 29.
Destro and Borini have both appeared regularly in Ferrara's U-21 squads and the former Juventus boss is in support of the pair being taken to Poland and Ukraine.
“If they are here, then it means they have done something important during the season,” the coach told RaiSport.
“They must prove that they can be part of this squad but it won’t be easy. Nothing stops them from dreaming. If they don’t make the final list, they know that the Under-21 side are waiting for them.
“It’s not up to me to decide, but if Prandelli called these players then it’s evident he considers them up to the task. In my view both Borini and Destro are ready for a tournament like Euro 2012.
“Borini had an important experience abroad with Chelsea as a very young man and that helped forge him as a player. Fabio has ambition and the right mentality. Destro has different characteristics, great technique and at Siena this season, Giuseppe Sannino improved him physically.”
Marco Verratti, another Under-21 international, has also been included in the provisional squad and Ferrara was keen to speak about some of the other young Italians he believes are capable of making the grade.
“It has been said for a while that Italian football no longer provides talented strikers, but that’s not true,” added Ferrara.
“We have many young and interesting forwards other than Borini and Destro. I think of Manolo Gabbiadini, Lorenzo Insigne, Ciro Immobile, Alberto Paloschi and Stephan El Shaarawy. They give us real hope.”
The Azzurri have an international friendly against Luxembourg on May 29 before they face Russia on June 1 in their final preparation game before the Euros.
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