Mrs.Faradina Harumi Rossi

MILAN — Villarreal striker Giuseppe Rossi received his first Italy call-up on Sunday for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Bulgaria and Montenegro but Alessandro Del Piero was left out.

Napoli defender Fabiano Santacroce, team mate Christian Maggio and Udinese forward Simone Pepe were also named in an Italy squad for the first time as coach Marcello Lippi rang the changes.

Former Manchester United player Rossi has won a spot in the squad after impressing Lippi when playing for the under-23 side at August's Beijing Olympics.

Juventus forward Del Piero, 33, was continually overlooked by previous Italy coach Roberto Donadoni but forced his way into the Euro 2008 squad after finishing top scorer in Serie A last season for the first time.

His form has dipped for a stuttering Juve in recent weeks but he was still expected to be called up for the games against Bulgaria next Saturday in Sofia and at home to Montenegro in Lecce on Oct. 15.

The world champions were slightly fortunate to win their opening Group 8 games in Cyprus and at home to Georgia last month.

Injuries this time have not helped their cause with Andrea Pirlo and Marco Materazzi among those ruled out.

Udinese forward Fabio Quagliarella, who scored twice in a 2-0 win over Torino to Sunday to send his side joint top of Serie A, was overlooked with his less high profile team mate Pepe the biggest surprise in the squad.

The squad:

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Marco Amelia (Palermo), Morgan De Sanctis (Galatasaray).

Defenders: Daniele Bonera (AC Milan), Fabio Cannavaro (Real Madrid), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Andrea Dossena (Liverpool), Alessandro Gamberini (Fiorentina), Fabiano Santacroce (Napoli), Gianluca Zambrotta (Milan)

Midfielders: Alberto Aquilani (AS Roma), Mauro Camoranesi (Juventus), Daniele De Rossi (Roma), Gennaro Gattuso (Milan), Christian Maggio (Napoli), Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina), Antonio Nocerino (Palermo), Simone Perrotta (Roma)

Forwards: Antonio Di Natale (Udinese), Alberto Gilardino (Fiorentina), Simone Pepe (Udinese), Giuseppe Rossi (Villarreal), Luca Toni (Bayern Munich).

reuters

MADRID, Spain (AP) -- Villarreal moved top of the Spanish league by winning 1-0 at Sporting Gijon with a goal from Giuseppe Rossi.

Rossi's 65th minute winner for Villarreal sparked an angry reaction from their opponents.

The striker struck in the 65th minute at Gijon's El Molinon stadium as Villarreal maintained their unbeaten record this season and took a one-point lead in the standings.

Villarreal's stay at the top will only last 24 hours if Valencia wins their home game against Deportivo La Coruna on Sunday to reclaim first place on goal difference.

Villarreal stayed a point clear of Real Madrid, who beat Real Betis 2-1 with goals by Gabriel Heinze and Ruud van Nistelrooy to climb into second place.

The defending champions gained their fourth straight win despite playing with 10 men for the final 35 minutes following the dismissal of left back Marcelo.

Gijon's defeat was their fifth in five matches -- in which they have conceded 20 goals -- since they returned to the top flight after a decade's absence.

However, the home team -- which in their previous two games lost 6-1 to Barcelona and 7-1 to Madrid -- gave a much more accomplished display against Villarreal and almost scored in the 41st minute when striker Mate Bilic's header struck the bar.

Rossi, who had entered the field as a halftime substitute, fired the winning goal from a corner by another replacement, Santi Cazorla.

The goal provoked a furious reaction from Gijon players, who claimed Villarreal striker Joseba Llorente handled the ball. Moments later, Gijon coach Manuel Preciado was ordered from the bench for his protests.

Madrid dominated the game at Manuel Ruiz de Lopera Stadium from the start and Heinze leaped to head home in the 18th minute from Rafael van der Vaart's floated free kick from the left.

Betis goalkeeper Casto Espinosa then came to his team's rescue on several occasions to prevent Madrid from extending its lead before halftime. However, the home team also went close in the 45th minute when midfielder Achille Emana's shot was pushed onto the post by Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas.

Betis, without a win this season, leveled in the 54th when Garcia ran in to fire home the rebound after the striker's penalty was parried by Casillas. Marcelo's foul on Damia Abella led to the spot kick and the Brazilian's ejection.
Garcia was also ejected in the 82nd after receiving a second yellow card and van Nistelrooy won Madrid three points with an injury-time strike following a swift counterattack



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Sunderland boss Roy Keane is lining up a bid for Villarreal striker Giuseppe Rossi.

The People says Keane is ready to splash out a club record £11million on former Manchester United youngster Giuseppe Rossi.

The Italian-American, 21, is with Spanish Champions League side Villarreal and just failed to make the grade at Old Trafford before a £6.6million switch to La Liga.

Keane thinks his skills would compliment Kenwyne Jones in a dream partnership.

tribalfootball

Published Date: 21 September 2008
Villareal striker Giuseppe Rossi is a target for Sunderland, with manager Roy Keane prepared to pay £11m for the 21-year-old former Manchester United striker.
The Italian never made the grade at Old Trafford but has proved a hit at the Spanish side.

But Keane wants to bring Rossi back to the Premier League to spearhead his side's faltering attack.

Before Saturday's 2-0 win at home to Middlesbrough, Sunderland had not scored at home this season.

lep.co.uk

Giuseppe Rossi will not be facing his former Manchester United Football Club pals on Wednesday.

The Italian spent two years at Old Trafford and was billed as s sure-fire star of the future by Sir Alex Ferguson, but first team opportunities were hard to come by.

United reluctantly allowed the 21-year-old to move to Villarreal in the summer of 2007 and he has been an instant hit in La Liga, hitting 11 goals in 27 outings.

Rossi had hoped to make an emotional return to Manchester in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday night, but a thigh strain has ruled him out of the Yellow Submarines squad.

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