Italy give assurances over Balotelli fitness

Italy's medical staff insist "everything is under control" regarding forward Mario Balotelli's minor knee problem but he could yet miss Friday's World Cup qualifier against Denmark.

The AC Milan man missed national team training on Wednesday morning with what has been diagnosed by Azzurri staff as a left adductor strain, with media reports circulating that the player may be rested for the Copenhagen trip and prepared for the home match against Armenia in Naples next Tuesday instead.

Enrico Castellacci, the head of Italy's medical team, told the Italian federation's official website www.figc.it: "The player is here, everything is under control. I will evaluate day to day, if he recovers quickly he will immediately be available.''

Balotelli was joined on the sidelines on Wednesday morning by Paris St Germain midfielder Marco Verratti and Napoli forward Lorenzo Insigne, with the team also preparing to train in a closed session in the afternoon.

Italy have already qualified for next summer's finals in Brazil.