Abbiati out of qualifiers

Italy's reserve goalkeeper will miss the upcoming qualifiers through injury.

Italy's reserve goalkeeper Cristian Abbiati has been forced to withdraw from his country's squad for the upcoming Euro 2008 qualifying games. The 30-year-old was expected to provide cover for Gianluigi Buffon for the crucial games against France and Ukraine. However he will miss out due to a hand injury. Abbiati is currently on loan at Athletico Madrid and is still awaiting his debut in Spain after missing the weekend's 1-1 draw at home to Mallorca. He has been replaced in the Italy squad by uncapped Roma 'keeper Gianluca Curci, who is joined by Livorno's Marco Amelia as cover for Buffon. Italy are second in Group B, two points behind leaders France. If they drop points in these two games, both Ukraine and Scotland will be lying in wait.