Peruzzi snubs Italy

Peruzzi does not relish third-choice status

Inter Milan goalkeeper Angelo Peruzzi has told Italian boss Dino Zoff he does not want to be in his Euro 2000 squad.

According to the Italian media, Zoff reportedly offered Peruzzi the chance to be his third-choice goalkeeper at the European Championship, but he declined.

The news was confirmed by Inter Milan, who on their official website said Peruzzi had told Zoff his presence in the squad could have created tension and that he does not feel motivated as the third-choice.

The 30-year old is the most experienced of Italy's international goalkeepers, though he missed out on the 1998 World Cup due to injury.

Fiorentina's Francesco Toldo and Parma's Gianlugi Buffon are competing with each other to be Zoff's first choice in goal.

Both were included in a 26-man squad named by Dino Zoff on Tuesday, which will have to be trimmed to 22 by 1 June.

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Italy preliminary squad:

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Parma), Francesco Toldo (Fiorentina), Francesco Antonioli (AS Roma).

Defenders: Fabio Cannavaro (Parma), Alessandro Nesta (Lazio), Ciro Ferrara (Juventus), Mark Iuliano (Juventus), Paolo Maldini (AC Milan), Paolo Negro (Lazio), Gianluca Pessotto (Juventus), Giuseppe Pancaro (Lazio).

Midfielders: Massimo Ambrosini (AC Milan), Demetrio Albertini (AC Milan), Dino Baggio (Parma), Antonio Conte (Juventus), Angelo Di Livio (Fiorentina), Stefano Fiore (Udinese), Diego Fuser (Parma), Gianluca Zambrotta (Juventus), Luigi Di Biagio (Inter Milan).

Strikers: Filippo Inzaghi (Juventus), Christian Vieri (Inter Milan), Francesco Totti (AS Roma), Alessandro Del Piero (Juventus), Vincenzo Montella (AS Roma), Marco Delvecchio (AS Roma).