ROME, Oct 1: There is still no place for Mario Balotelli in the Italy squad as coach Gian Piero Ventura named a largely unchanged 26-man list for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Spain and Macedonia.

Balotelli has netted four goals in his past two league matches for Nice but missed last week's Ligue 1 game with injury and was forced off at halftime in the Europa League with illness, after scoring against Krasnodar.

Italy is largely unchanged from the squad which won 3-1 in Israel in its opening qualifying match for the 2018 World Cup.

Genoa goalkeeper Mattia Perin, midfielders Domenico Criscito (Zenit St. Petersburg) and Matteo Darmian (Manchester United), and Villareal forward Nicola Sansone return.

Italy plays Spain in Turin on Thursday, before travelling to Skopje, where it faces Macedonia on Sunday.

 
• mario balotelli
 
• world cup qualifiers
 
• italy