The Fiorentina striker will captain the national team in Ukraine as he returns to the Azzurri starting XI for the first time this year.

"It is a great reward that the national team gives me," said Gilardino, who made his senior debut in 2004.

"It is an honour considering all those players that have captained the national team in the past, like Fabio Cannavaro and (current captain) Gianluigi Buffon."

The Azzurri make the trip in confident mood.

Friday's 1-0 triumph at Slovenia in their Euro 2012 qualifier moved them six points clear at the top of Group C with four games remaining.

Coach Cesare Prandelli has made seven changes to the team that beat Slovenia with Gilardino and Giuseppe Rossi replacing Antonio Cassano and Giampaolo Pazzini in attack.

Emiliano Viviano will come in for Buffon in goal.

"I will make further changes in the second half," Prandelli said. "I would like to use this game as an opportunity to see some players.

"I want to see the same determination and focus as I saw on Friday."

Ukraine have never beaten Italy in six attempts and expect to face a strong Azzurri side tomorrow.

"Italy are still difficult opponents even though they are going through a generational change," Ukraine midfielder Anatoliy Tymoshchuk said.

"Our opponents will go on the attack, so it's important to take our chances."

Yuriy Kalytvyntsev's men, who have qualified automatically for next year's European Championships as tournament co-host, are struggling to get results.

The home side will be looking for their first win since September.

Since beating Chile 2-1 in a friendly, Ukraine have mustered four draws and a defeat.

Ukraine will be without captain former AC Milan striker Andriy Shevchenko, who is unavailable for personal reasons, while defender Dmytro Chygrynskiy and midfielder Yevhen Konoplyanka are injured.