Italy
Wednesday, 04 Jun 2008 00:00
Will Italian supporters be celebrating again, two years after World Cup success?
World champions Italy won a fiercely-contested qualification group, pushing France into second place and ending Scottish dreams of reaching a major tournament.
Group C fixtures
Netherlands v
Italy
Berne, June 9th 19:45 BST
Live on ITV1
Italy v Romania
Zurich, June 13th 17:00 BST
Live on ITV1
France v
Italy
Zurich, June 17th 19:45 BST
Live on BBC1
European Championship history
The Azzurri have recorded just one victory in the tournament to date, on home soil in 1968. In 2000 a heartbreaking golden goal from Juventus-bound David Trezeguet denied them a second trophy in the final against France.
The man in charge
Roberto Donadoni, part of the Italy squad that lost on penalties to Brazil in the final of USA 94, had an unenviable task in succeeding World Cup-winning coach Marcello Lippi.
His reign began with a home draw with lowly Lithuania and a 3-1 away defeat to France, but his team recovered to remain unbeaten for the remainder of qualification to top group B.
Donadoni, 44, has stuck by most of the players who lifted the World Cup two years ago, with Fiorentina starlet Riccardo Montolivo among those left at home for the tournament.
Team forte
The Italian squad is naturally filled with players with experience of World Cup glory, goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and enforcer Gennaro Gattuso giving the Azzurri a rock-solid spine.
Achilles heel
Few up-and-coming players have swelled the squad's ranks since victory in Germany, while the midfield and attack is largely devoid of pace, if not guile. The traumatic loss of captain Fabio Cannavaro to injury on the eve of the finals has also not helped, while the same can be said for the international retirement of Roma playmaker Francesco Totti.
Player to watch
Marco Borriello may have Luca Toni and Antonio di Natale ahead of him in the pecking order, but the AC Milan striker finally fulfilled some of his early potential last season with 19 goals while on loan at Genoa.
Chances of victory
Italy are among the favourites to win the tournament outright, but an average squad age of 28 belies the ageing nature of the squad.
World Cup veterans Marco Materazzi and Alessandro del Piero are approaching the end of their international careers, with no obvious heirs emerging.
And as previously mentioned, the freak training ground injury to inspirational captain Cannavaro has rocked the entire squad.
Concerns over the Real Madrid defender's absence aside, Italy's greatest challenge in adding to their solitary European Championship success is one of the toughest groups in the tournament's history.
European archrivals France will be desperate to avoid being trumped by Italy again, while a talented Netherlands side and underrated Romanian outfit also present opposition of the toughest calibre.
But if Italy can get deep-lying playmaker Andrea Pirlo on the ball and supplying the deliveries Toni thrives on, a defensively-minded Italy team could have a chance of reaching the final in Vienna on June 29th.
Squad
Goalkeepers
1 Gianluigi Buffon
14 Marco Amelia
17 Morgan de Sanctis
Defenders
2 Christian Panucci
3 Fabio Grosso
4 Giorgio Chiellini
5 Alessandro Gamberini
6 Andrea Barzagli
19 Gianluca Zambrotta
23 Marco Materazzi
Midfielders
8 Gennaro Gattuso
10 Daniele de Rossi
13 Massimo Ambrosini
16 Mauro Camoranesi
20 Simone Perrotta
21 Andrea Pirlo
22 Alberto Aquilani
Forwards
7 Alessandro del Piero
9 Luca Toni
11 Antonio di Natale
12 Marco Borriello
15 Fabio Quagliarella
18 Antonio Cassano