Agencies
Italy continue their bid for a fifth global title on Sunday, as they travel to meet Bulgaria in Sofia following a successful start to their World Cup qualifying campaign.
There have already been a handful of withdrawals from Roberto Mancini's original 38-man squad for the three quickfire fixtures during this international break, after Roma's Bryan Cristante and Moise Kean of Paris Saint-Germain pulled out due to injury and Chelsea's deep-lying midfielder Jorginho was belatedly omitted because of a knee problem.
On Friday, Sassuolo strikers Francesco Caputo and Domenico Berardi, plus veteran defender Giorgio Chiellini, left the Italy squad and all three have been ruled out of the next two games.
Inter's Nicolo Barella only arrived at Italy's Coverciano camp just before the Northern Ireland game, due to his club side's COVID-19 outbreak late last week, so was replaced by Lorenzo Pellegrini at the Tardini. Both Barella and his Nerazzurri teammate Alessandro Bastoni could be set for starts in Sofia though, with Pellegrini and veteran Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci perhaps sitting out.
The Serie A champions will be represented, however, by one of the few stars of their season, Federico Chiesa, who is expected to come into the XI in a wide attacking role, while Matteo Pessina and Azzurri new-boy Rafael Toloi - both of Atalanta - may also feature at some stage.
Despite his midweek goal and rich recent record of productivity while wearing the iconic blue shirt, Ciro Immobile could well be rested, allowing Andrea Belotti to take the central striker's role in Mancini's favoured 4-3-3.
Home manager Yasen Petrov included 10 uncapped players in his first selection as national boss, though regular fixtures such as experienced captain Petar Zanev and Brazil-born defender Cicinho should once again start in defence versus Italy.
Bologna prospect Valentin Antov began on the bench against Switzerland, but will vie for an opportunity to play against some familiar faces, with fellow Serie A man Andrey Galabinov, of Spezia, hoping to make the matchday squad this time out after being entirely omitted on Thursday.
The third player in the hosts' Italy-based trio, Cagliari forward Kiril Despodov, is again expected to shoulder the burden of creativity for a Bulgaria team that has often struggled in the final third.
