Giovinco, Balotelli left off Italy's roster for Euro 2016

Toronto FC forward Sebastian Giovinco is part of a trio of noteworthy players left off Italy's preliminary roster for Euro 2016.

The 29-year old, who has 30 goals in 45 games for TFC, was not included in manager Antonio Conte's 30-man squad.

Joining Giovinco on the sidelines is Mario Balotelli, whose goals during the 2012 tournament propelled Italy into the European championship final. Italy lost 4-0 in the final to Spain.

Balotelli's omission was expected after he scored only one goal in 20 Serie A appearances for AC Milan this season while on loan from Liverpool. The mercurial forward hasn't played for Italy since the team was eliminated in the first round of the 2014 World Cup.

Thirty-seven-year old midfielder Andrea Pirlo, who currently plays for New York City FC in Major League Soccer, was also left out. Pirlo has made 116 appearances for the azzurri.

The forwards Conte selected were Brazilian-born Eder and Graziano Pelle — the likely starters — plus Ciro Immobile, Lorenzo Insigne and Simone Zaza.

Another notable absence was Giuseppe Rossi, the injury-plagued United States-born forward who finished the season on loan at Levante.

Conte will name his final 23-man squad for the tournament on May 31.

Italy is in Group E — one of the toughest of the tournament — with Belgium, Ireland and Sweden.

Rounding out the roster

While Conte gave no immediate explanation of his squad choices — which were issued with a press release — he has said numerous times that he would rely on "the group that got us here."

"Whoever wants to join in will have to deserve it twice as much, and will have to work much harder to take the place of those that are here," Conte said late last year.

Injured midfielders Claudio Marchisio and Marco Verratti were also not included. Midfielders Riccardo Montolivo and Thiago Motta were put on the team but the announcement said that their medical conditions "need to be verified."

Defender Armando Izzo, who was placed under investigation for match-fixing earlier Monday, was dropped after being included in a preliminary training camp last week.

Italy's preliminary roster includes the following players:

Goalkeepers:

• Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus)
• Federico Marchetti (Lazio)
• Salvatore Sirigu (Paris Saint Germain)

Defenders:

• Davide Astori (Fiorentina)
• Andrea Barzagli (Juventus)
• Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus)
• Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus)
• Angelo Ogbonna (West Ham)
• Daniele Rugani (Juventus)

Midfielders:

• Federico Bernardeschi (Fiorentina)
• Antonio Candreva (Lazio)
• Matteo Darmian (Manchester United)
• Mattia De Sciglio (AC Milan)
• Stephan El Shaarawy (Roma)
• Davide Zappacosta (Torino)
• Marco Benassi (Torino)
• Giacomo Bonaventura (AC Milan)
• Daniele De Rossi (Roma)
• Alessandro Florenzi (Roma)
• Emanuele Giaccherini (Bologna)
• Jorginho (Napoli)
• Riccardo Montolivo (AC Milan)
• Thiago Motta (Paris Saint-Germain)
• Marco Parolo (Lazio)
• Stefano Sturaro (Juventus)

Forwards:

• Eder (Inter Milan)
• Ciro Immobile (Torino)
• Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli)
• Graziano Pelle (Southampton)
• Simone Zaza (Juventus)