On the face of it, the majority of the players in Luciano Spalletti’s 25-man squad for the UEFA Nations League quarter-final with Germany pick themselves.

Gianluigi Donnarumma captains a strong Azzurri outfit containing Sandro Tonali, fresh from winning Newcastle’s first domestic silverware in 70 years, and Serie A top-scorer Mateo Retegui. They are joined by some of Spalletti’s most-trusted lieutenants in the shape of Riccardo Calafiori, Giovanni di Lorenzo and Davide Frattesi

Not forgetting Nicolò Barella, Alessandro Bastoni and Moise Kean who are all in superb form.

Looking to build towards World Cup qualification, Spalletti – a manager known for developing players at club level – has called up starlets Matteo Ruggeri, Cesare Casadei and Pietro Comuzzo. In attack, Matteo Politano returns after a year out and he’s joined by Daniel Maldini and Lazio captain Mattia Zaccagni.

While it is hard to argue with Spalletti’s choices, there are a number of players who can count themselves unlucky to have been left out. Our Destination Calcio writers have made the case for the following three to be included.

Davide Zappacosta (Atalanta) — Emmet Gates

I haven’t gone for a young upstart, but I think Zappacosta is worthy of an inclusion.

Yes, he’s 32 years old, but he is in the form of his life and capable of playing on either flank.

Zappacosta normally operates as a left wing-back or left winger in Gian Piero Gasperini’s 3-4-1-2 system. Yet he’s also been utilised on the other side if injury dictates.

Full of industry, tactical intelligence and also good at chipping in with the odd goal, Zappacosta is the kind of player that, if he played 30 years ago, would’ve had more caps.

In that Gianluca Pessotto/Alessandro Birindelli mould, his versatility should be used as an asset by Spalletti, and the fact he hasn’t played for Italy since 2018 is criminal.

He’s scored five goals this season for La Dea in all competitions and with Spalletti lacking in full-backs who can operate on either wing, Andrea Cambiaso aside, Zappacosta should be looked at.

“It’s striking when I think about myself and how consistent I’ve been, but above all, about the team, how useful I’ve been to them,” Zappacosta told La Gazzetta dello Sport recently.

Moreover, with many of Spalletti’s preferred squad lacking in experience, Zappacosta would be a good addition to have around the dressing room. Someone who has won European trophies and gained plenty of Champions League experience.

Of course, Spalletti wants to build with an eye on the future and the 2026 World Cup in North America (granted, Italy need to qualify first). But Zappacosta would only be 34 when it rolls around, still young enough to go as a member of the squad, not necessarily a starter. 

At the very least, he deserves a call for the next set of Azzurri games. 

Riccardo Orsolini (Bologna) — Dan Cancian

The fact Spalletti can leave out one of the most in-form players in Serie A this season speaks volumes for the abundance of options at his disposal.

While it is hard to argue with his selection, it is difficult to make a case for Orsolini being excluded from the Azzurri squad. The 28-year-old has been superb this season, scoring 10 goals and setting up four more in 21 appearances in Serie A.

Or, to put it another way, only Retegui and Kean have more goal contributions among Italian players than the Rossoblu winger.

After a slow start returned just one goal from his first six league outings this season, Orsolini burst into life with five and two assists in the next six fixtures and hasn’t looked back, despite two hamstring injuries.

He has three goals in his last three appearances, has already equalled his goal tally from last season and doubled his assists return. It is an impressive for a player who seemed to have lost all his confidence after Vincenzo Italiano replaced Thiago Motta in the dugout at the Renato Dall’Ara in the summer.

Steadily, however, Orsolini has bought into Italiano’s methods and blossomed under the former Fiorentina manager, who has deployed him wide on the right in his 4-2-3-1 formation.

It is this tactical versatility that makes his omission even more puzzling, as he can operate in that role or as right-winger in a more traditional 4-3-3, Spalletti’s preferred formation.

It doesn’t take a great degree of imagination to think the likes of Retegui and Kean would relish the chance of having someone like Orsolini feeding them for the Azzurri, but he will have to wait to add to his seven caps.

“The Nazionale? My focus is solely on wearing the Bologna shirt right now,” Orsolini said on Sunday after a 5-0 trouncing of Lazio lifted his team to fourth and into the Champions League spots.

Should he keep up this vein of form, he may soon be wearing Italy’s blue.

Rolando Mandragora (Fiorentina) – David Ferrini

Italian coaches have often been accused of not having a Plan B in attack. How many times have we seen Azzurri strikers isolated in general play, or opposing defences stacking their area to stifle Italy who are usually lacking a threat from outside the box?

This is where Mandragora could play a part. Sure, Italy’s midfield is its strength, but while Spalletti has the luxury of Barella and Tonali, there are no real options off the bench if the goal needs to be peppered from distance, especially with Lorenzo Pellegrini sick with the flu.

In fact, even if Pellegrini was available, I’d prefer to see Mandragora given the opportunity.

For those who don’t know much about the Fiorentina midfielder, his dexterity with both feet make him the perfect candidate for such a task – an impact bomber who can make the difference in the last 20 minutes. No, not in the style of Frattesi, who is more versatile and runs like a madman. Conversely, Mandragora is much more measured – think in-form Pellegrini but with the option to take set-pieces with either boot.

Born in Napoli, Mandragora began his career as a deep-lying midfielder at Genoa before showcasing his thunderous technique at Udinese between 2018 and 2021. A successful loan spell at Torino ensued until Fiorentina paid over €8m (£6.7m) to secure his services in 2022, a move which instantly yielded results (14 goals and 16 assists in all competitions).

Meanwhile, Pellegrini has 21 goals (six of those were penalty kicks) and 16 assists.

At 27 years of age and with a solitary Italy appearance back in 2018, Mandragora deserves another shot for La Nazionale. He made his debut during Roberto Mancini’s tenure, thrown to the lions as Italy collapsed to then-world champions France in a friendly. I say this in the nicest way possible, but Italy never stood a chance with Mattia De Sciglio, Mattia Caldara and Danilo D’Ambrosio defending Salvatore Sirigu.

The argument could be made that Cesare Casadei – selected after impressing at Torino – could be a legitimate alternative, but his inclusion may be more symbolic. Building for the future is important, and perhaps this is why Spallettone has included the 2022 FIFA Under-20 World Cup starlet.

Emphasising my main point, goals from long range, Spalletti also needs a midfield alternative that can score against big teams: Mandragora has already netted against Inter Milan this season, and his confidence is sky-high after scoring against Juventus on the weekend. It’s all about temperament too.

“You have to always go in with the same attitude,” Mandragora told Sky Sports. “The (goal) celebration? It was for Joe (Barone), he’s been gone for a year and his family is here tonight.”

Now there’s a sentimental young Italian with a good head on his shoulders who fits the Uomini Forti, Destini Forti (strong men, strong destinies) mantra that Spalletti lives by.