Italy coach Marcello Lippi has expressed his sadness after cutting Fabio Grosso from his provisional World Cup squad.

Lippi announced on Tuesday that Juventus defender Grosso and Udinese midfielder Antonio Candreva, who played on loan at Juve last term, missed out as he trimmed his 30-man party for South Africa to 28.

Lippi said: "It was hard to call him (Grosso), just as it was tough not to call 14 of the 23 players with whom I shared important moments in Germany.

"I spoke to Fabio yesterday and you cannot imagine how saddened I was to make this call.

"But this is my decision. I don't make the Italy squad based on debts of merit because I cannot choose based on what happened in the past."