The 33-year-old was a member of the Azzurri squad which performed poorly at the World Cup and was not expected to add to his 97 caps.

But with Lorenzo De Silvestri and Davide Santon instead selected in the Under-21 party, Prandelli has opted for experience and called once more on the AC Milan defender.

Lazio midfielder Stefano Mauri capped a good day by being included. Mauri earlier scored the winner as the Biancoceleste beat Brescia 1-0 at the Stadio Olimpico.

Prandelli's men have a 100% record in Group C after winning their opening two games.

They meet Northern Ireland at Windsor Park on Friday before hosting Serbia in Genoa four days later.

The Italy squad is: Antonio Mirante (Parma), Salvatore Sirigu (Palermo), Emiliano Viviano (Bologna); Mattia Cassani (Palermo), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Domenico Criscito (Genoa), Gianluca Zambrotta (AC Milan), Daniele Gastaldello (Sampdoria), Cesare Bovo (Palermo), Luca Antonelli (Parma); Andrea Pirlo (AC Milan), Daniele De Rossi (Roma), Angelo Palombo (Sampdoria), Andrea Lazzari (Cagliari), Claudio Marchisio (Juventus), Stefano Mauri (Lazio), Simone Pepe (Juventus); Marco Borriello (Roma), Antonio Cassano (Sampdoria), Alberto Gilardino (Fiorentina), Giampaolo Pazzini (Sampdoria), Giuseppe Rossi (Villarreal).