APOLLONI CALLED UP TO ITALIAN SQUAD

Luigi Apolloni, the experienced Parma defender, yesterday won a late call-up to the Italy squad for the European Championship Group Four qualifying matches against Ukraine and Lithuania. The coach, Arrigo Sacchi, called up Apolloni, a regular in the national squad, after his veteran club team-mate Roberto Mussi had to withdraw because of an ankle injury.

Mussi, 32, was a surprising inclusion in the squad named on Monday for the qualifiers in Bari on Saturday and Reggio Emilia next Wednesday. He last played for Italy in September 1994 in a disappointing 1-1 draw against Slovenia in Maribor.