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Italy's caretaker coach Luigi Di Biagio has said he will continue to monitor Mario Balotelli, despite not considering him ready for a recall for the upcoming friendlies with Argentina and England, and added that Gianluigi Buffon will play in one if not both of what could be his only two games in charge. Di Biagio gave Fiorentina's Federico Chiesa and AC Milan's Patrick Cutrone their first call-ups to the Italy squad, but Balotelli was conspicuous by his absence. The Nice forward has not played for Italy since the 2014 World Cup, but he had been expected to be given a fresh chance under Di Biagio, who has instead overlooked him -- for the time being. "I think I've already explained it quite clearly -- that while the numbers, so for a forward I mean goals, are important, it is the overall performances that need to be considered," Di Biagio said at a news conference in Coverciano on Monday. "I've watched him, evaluated him and taken this decision. "Right or wrong, I considered what was right for me and for the good of the squad, and felt this was the right choice. There will never be a total refusal [to call him up]. I'll continue to follow him and then we'll see what happens in the coming months. "Mario's not done anything [wrong], it's nothing to do with that. I just took into consideration absolutely everything regarding the game when I made my choices." Buffon will be back in an Italy shirt, however, just four months after appearing to announce his retirement from international football. Despite the 40-year-old saying upon arriving in Florence on Sunday night that he was keen on helping and not hindering his potential successor as Italy's No. 1, Di Biagio clarified that his main job is to help him get results, and that the best way to do that is by playing. "Gigi may also be here to aggregate, but he's here first and foremost to play and help me, and give added value on and off the field," Di Biagio said. "He'll play one or both of the games -- I'll evaluate that. "The fact that in Italy there is a tendency to write old [players] off is not a problem. I will do what I feel is right based on what I see, not on what I read. Gigi will play, then there are two other goalkeepers pressing to steal his position when he gets a bit older. "[Gianluigi] Donnarumma and [Mattia] Perin have both grown and become men. But we've got a monument and when he's no longer here, then they will fight for his place." Di Biagio is also fighting for his place, with the head coach position still vacant following Gian Piero Ventura's dismissal after he failed to lead Italy to the World Cup. "Of course the stakes are high for me too, and in my heart I will try to make the bosses' decision difficult, but this is not a priority," he said. "We've got other problems at the moment, like relaunching the team and giving passion and enthusiasm back to the fans, who I think are curious to see these two games. "After the disappointment of last November, there is no other way than to get going again immediately. You cannot change the past. We're not a top nation, but we're not among the worst either. You can be reborn and, with a bit of patience, build a great national team again, because we have some good young players who are growing." Meanwhile, Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini has withdrawn from the Italy squad the Italian Football Federation has confirmed. Chiellini suffered a thigh injury in his club's goalless draw with SPAL in Serie A on Saturday. The 33-year-old has now returned to his club for treatment and will be assessed with particular regard to the Bianconeri's Champions League quarterfinal first leg against Real Madrid on April 3. West Ham's Angelo Ogbonna had already been added to Luigi Di Biagio's squad as cover.
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