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Juventus and the Italian national team. Two things that just go together. Kinda like peanut butter and jelly, you know? It's no surprise that with Juventus' rebirth over the past three seasons, the same can be said for the Azzurri as a whole. You get a strong Juventus squad, you get a strong Italy squad. Them's the rules, people.
That brings us to today's piece of Juventus-Italy news.
Gianluigi Buffon. Andrea Pirlo. Claudio Marchisio. Andrea Barzagli. Giorgio Chiellini. Leonardo Bonucci.
Those are the six names aren't being thrown out there so we can talk about how good of players they are. They are the Juventus contingent that will represent Italy at the World Cup in Brazil this summer. And while this is just Cesare Prandelli's preliminary 30-man squad, there's no reason to think that these six Juventinos won't be amongst the 23 players who make the cut and get to play in Brazil.
That isn't the Juventus bias talking. That's just the facts, Jack.
Buffon will start in goal and wear the captain's armband. Pirlo and his magnificent beard will be the man in charge of directing the Azzurri's midfield. Chiellini will obviously start because he's the best defender Italy currently has. And Barzagli, when healthy, isn't too far behind because he's awesome.
So like I was saying, Juventus-based players will play a big-time role in how Italy does at the 2014 World Cup.
Here's the full squad, which will obviously be cut to 23 before the tournament gets under way:
Goalkeepers: Buffon (Juventus), Perin (Genoa), Sirigu (Paris Saint Germain), *Mirante (Parma)
Defenders: Abate (Milan), Barzagli (Juventus), Bonucci (Juventus), Chiellini (Juventus), Darmian (Torino), De Sciglio (Milan), Maggio (Napoli), Paletta (Parma), Pasqual (Fiorentina), Ranocchia (Inter)
Midfielders: Aquilani (Fiorentina), Candreva (Lazio), De Rossi (Roma), Marchisio (Juventus), Montolivo (Milan), Motta (Paris Saint Germain), Parolo (Parma), Pirlo (Juventus), Romulo (Verona), Verratti (Paris Saint Germain)
Strikers: Balotelli (Milan), Cassano (Parma), Cerci (Torino), Destro (Roma), Immobile (Torino), Insigne (Napoli), Rossi (Fiorentina)
*Included as an extra at Coverciano just in case of an injury
In case you didn't notice, I've got one last thing to say: No Padoin, no party. Cesare Prandelli, you jerk.
