The talented 22-year-old midfielder was promoted to the senior squad from the under-21s by coach Roberto Donadoni and is expected to make his debut for the world champions in Wednesday's friendly against Turkey in Bergamo.

Many Italian clubs, like AC Milan and Inter Milan, tend to buy established players rather than risk throwing in youngsters, but Roma have invested heavily in youth in recent seasons and their gamble appears to be paying off.

"I feel proud to be a part of this club which still believes in its youth team," said Aquilani, whose introduction as a substitute helped Roma to a 2-1 win at AC Milan last Saturday and moved them to within four points of joint leaders Inter and Palermo.

"(Roma coach) Luciano Spalletti has been great to me, he has so much confidence in me. He plays me often and I have to thank him for that.

"To be called up for Italy is a dream. I wasn't expecting it. I thought I was going with the under 21s as usual and then I was told the news. It was the best 24 hours of my life."

Roma captain Francesco Totti, another product of the club's youth system, was delighted to see Aquilani rewarded for a string of outstanding performances.

"He's a great lad and a superb footballer," said Totti, who is still considering whether to continue his international career after admitting to feeling the strain following Italy's triumphant World Cup.

"Like me and Daniele De Rossi, he has come up through the Roma ranks to make it into the national team."

Spalletti hailed Aquilani for his 29-minute performance against Milan which helped swing the game in Roma's favour.

"His entrance changed the course of the match," said the Roma coach.

"He gave the team that something extra we needed."

Another new face in the Italy squad is AC Milan midfielder Christian Brocchi, who scored his side's goal in the Roma defeat.

Brocchi, 30, saluted Fiorentina coach Cesare Prandelli for improving him as a player after spending the whole of last season on loan in Florence.

"Prandelli helped me a lot," Brocchi said.

"It's largely thanks to him that I'm playing at a higher level. He taught me a great deal."

Brocchi's AC Milan teammates Andrea Pirlo, Filippo Inzaghi and Alessandro Nesta are all rested, together with Inter Milan's Fabio Grosso. Gennaro Gattuso, Luca Toni, Alessandro Del Piero and Simone Perrotta are all ruled out due to injuries.

Turkey coach Fatih Terim knows all about Italian football having spent time in charge of Serie A clubs AC Milan and Fiorentina.

Italy are unbeaten in their nine meetings with Turkey, winning seven and drawing twice.

The teams drew 1-1 the last time they met in a friendly in Pescara four years ago.

Bergamo has hosted the national team just once before when Italy thrashed Malta 5-0 in a European championship qualifier in January 1987.