but that match is friendly only.;
anyway france win that last night match..

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Added on October 18, 2007, 11:43 am







This post has been edited by scorps: Oct 18 2007, 11:43 AM

Toni sets Bayern targets
Friday 26 October, 2007
Azzurri striking star Luca Toni has given Football Italia an exclusive insight into his new life in the Bundesliga.

The giant marksman joined Bayern Munich from Fiorentina in the summer for £7m and immediately made his mark in Germany with 10 goals in 11 games.

While many players find moving to a different country something of an ordeal, Toni clearly feels at home at the Allianz Arena.

"I had a very warm welcome in Bavaria and did not think I would be so looked after even in the training sessions," he explained.

"Miroslav Klose and I complement each other. He is an atypical forward, as he is unselfish."

Toni may have been quick out of the blocks, but he has set the bar high this term if he is to achieve his objectives.

"I hope to score many goals and play a role in winning the title - or Deutscher Meister as they say here - but we also want the UEFA Cup and the German Cup," the 2006 European Golden Boot winner stated.

"In my career I have scored lots of goals and I am sure that I can continue that run in Munich".

http://www.channel4.com/sport/football_italia/oct26d.html

Carletto sees Spalletti exchange
Friday 26 October, 2007
Milan boss Carlo Ancelotti has sensationally suggested that he may swap jobs with Roma's Luciano Spalletti at some stage.

Ancelotti spent the majority of his playing career with Roma and has a deep affection for the Giallorossi.

While the ex-Juventus tactician claims that he is happy at the San Siro, he surprisingly admitted that he could picture himself on the Stadio Olimpico bench.

"I'm happy at Milan and Spalletti is doing well at Roma at the moment, but in a few years I could see a swap," Ancelotti told Sky Sports Italia.

"Given my past experiences with the Magica, I would say that Roma are the only club I could move to.

"I could never go to Inter or Lazio, nor could I return to Juventus," he continued.

"It wouldn't be right to destroy my great past at Milan and Roma by joining a direct rival side.

"In theory I could only really go to Roma, a foreign side, or the national team," Ancelotti concluded.

Ancelotti and Spalletti come face to face as Milan host Roma in the crunch match of the weekend


http://www.channel4.com/sport/football_italia/oct26a.html

Week 9 - 28/10/07 (14.00 UK time)

Catania 2-0 Sampdoria
Empoli 0-1 Atalanta
Genoa 0-0 Fiorentina (19.30)
Lazio 0-1 Udinese
Milan 0-1 Roma
Napoli 3-1 Juventus (Sat 19.30)
Palermo 0-0 Inter
Parma 3-2 Livorno
Siena 0-0 Reggina
Torino 2-0 Cagliari (Sat 17.00)

Don prepares for D-day




Monday 5 November, 2007

Roberto Donadoni focuses on the Azzurri's Euro 2008 qualification showdown with Scotland and gives an insight into the selection process.

The world champions travel to Glasgow on November 17 needing just a draw to book a ticket to Austria and Switzerland next year.

A number of potentially important figure have been suffering from injuries in recent weeks, but Donadoni is counting on fielding his strongest 11.

"We are still waiting for some players to recover from fitness problems, but there are two weeks left and we're hoping to have a full squad," he told journalists.

"We will have to see about Mauro Camoranesi. He might just play for a half if he isn't fully fit and he doesn't have a whole game in his legs."

It appears that Milan's Alberto Gilardino may have fired his way back into the squad after a period in the doldrums.

"There are no problems in attack," Donadoni insisted. "Alberto Gilardino is playing well and he's the kind of player you jump at choosing like Luca Toni and Vincenzo Iaquinta."

However, despite the ex-Livorno tactician's confidence in the strikers at his disposal, Donadoni has an eye on Palermo's Amauri.

"There are still processes to undertake and at the moment there is a problem with his passport," he explained.

"Obviously I'd like to have him in the squad, just like any other player in Serie A or B who could help the team."

http://www.channel4.com/sport/football_italia/nov5m.html

Werder see Lazio threat
Tuesday 6 November, 2007
Lazio approach tonight's must-win clash against Werder Bremen on poor form, but their opponents aren't relishing the trip to Rome.

The Biancocelesti need to avenge their 2-1 defeat in Germany if they are to keep themselves in the hunt for qualification to the Champions League knockout stages.

While the Aquile have lost four of their last five and the pressure is building on boss Delio Rossi, his counterpart Thomas Schaaf is wary of the capital club.

"They are having a bad run, but for them it is a kind of Last Chance Saloon and we need to be very careful," he stated.

"Lazio will be looking for a way out of their problems and will try and put in a great performance.

"They have looked very strong in Europe as you could see when they drew with Real Madrid. The Champions League can give a unique motivation to any team."

So far just 4,500 tickets have been sold for tonight's Stadio Olimpico crunch match.

Lazio (squad): Ballotta, Baronio, Behrami, Cribari, De Silvestri, Firmani, Kolarov, Ledesma, Makinwa, Manfredini, Meghni, Mudingayi, Muslera, Mutarelli, Rocchi, Scaloni, Stendardo, Tare, Zauri

http://www.channel4.com/sport/football_italia/nov6g.html

Champions League, Gp C Matchday 4 - 6/11/07 (19.45)

Lazio 2 - 1 Werder Bremen
Rocchi 57, 68 (L), Diego pen 88 (B)
Stadio Olimpico

Tommaso Rocchi had a penalty saved and Lazio ended the game with 10 men, but defeated Werder Bremen 2-1 to stay in the Champions League race. With this result and Real Madrid's 0-0 at Olympiacos, they go joint second.

The Biancocelesti were in dire straits, propping up Group C and coming off three consecutive Serie A defeats. They lost 2-1 in Bremen a fortnight ago and needed their first Champions League win of the campaign to have any hope of qualifying. Goran Pandev was added to the injury list with Mobido Diakhitè, Stefano Mauri and Sebastiano Siviglia, while Tommaso Rocchi recovered from an ankle problem to start alongside Stephen Makinwa.


However, this opened up the game and allowed Lazio to strike on the counter. Meghni impressed in this rare start and some fancy footwork with a pass over the defence sent Rocchi clear on goal for a precise lob as Wiese came rushing out.

Ballotta's reflexes were still alert to block a Markus Rosenberg volley and Almeida screamer, but Lazio cannot help but make life difficult for themselves. Their disciplinary record in Europe has been poor and Cribari was sent off for bringing down Almeida as he was clear on goal. Diego converted the penalty under the roof of the net to give Bremen hope in the final minutes.

Leon Andreasen was booked for hauling down Rocchi on the counter and Lionel Scaloni did well to hold off Naldo in the area. Diego was also sent off in stoppages for a second bookable offence - dissent.

http://www.channel4.com/sport/football_ita...es/laz-wer.html

Italy stunned by fan's death


Italian football has once again been shattered by a fatal tragedy after a Lazio fan was shot dead during scenes of disorder at a motorway service station.

The 26-year-old supporter, a disc jockey named Gabriele Sandri, was shot as police attempted to intervene to quell trouble and a police spokesman all but confirmed media reports that the fatal bullet came from a police weapon.

Elsewhere, the match between Atalanta and AC Milan was abandoned after seven minutes because of crowd disturbances while Roma's evening match with Cagliari was called off after the Eternal City club had asked for it to be put back out of respect to the Lazio fan - Lazio and Roma share the Olympic Stadium in Rome.

The incidents come nine months after policeman Filippo Raciti was killed during crowd trouble surrounding the Sicilian derby match between Catania and Palermo.

That led to draconian security measures adopted by the Italian government with numerous stadia closed until they made improvements to ensure better security.

The Italian government also created an independent body, L'Osservatorio nazionale sulle manifestazione sportive, to clamp down on football violence and gave it powers to call games off or ban fans from attending.



http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=481140&cc=4716



very bad things happen again

This post has been edited by scorps: Nov 12 2007, 07:47 AM

Don picks Palladino
Sunday 11 November, 2007

Roberto Donadoni has called Raffaele Palladino and Alberto Gilardino for the Euro 2008 qualifier in Scotland, but not Alessandro Del Piero.

Under-21 international forward Palladino receives his debut senior cap for the crucial matches against Scotland and the Faroe Islands, as he is preferred to Juventus teammate Del Piero.

Palladino has recently been playing as a wide midfielder in Turin - a role Del Piero has refused to perform for the Azzurri - and it is likely Donadoni wants him to continue in that position.

Gilardino is back in the side, although he missed today's trip to Atalanta due to an ankle injury, while Mauro Camoranesi and Gianluca Zambrotta return from injury.

Fiorentina revelations Franco Semioli and Riccardo Montolivo were in the squad for the friendly against South Africa last month, but are not included here.

The Azzurri will meet up at the Coverciano training ground on Monday afternoon and fly out to Glasgow on Friday.

The potentially decisive Euro 2008 qualifier with Scotland is on Saturday evening at 17.00, while on Wednesday November 21 Italy welcome the Faroe Islands to Modena's Stadio Braglia.

Italy squad

Goalkeepers: Amelia (Livorno), Buffon (Juventus), Curci (Roma);
Defenders: Barzagli (Palermo), Bonera (Milan), Cannavaro (Real Madrid), Chiellini (Juventus), Grosso (Lyon), Oddo (Milan), Panucci (Roma), Zambrotta (Barcelona);
Midfielders: Ambrosini (Milan), Camoranesi (Juventus), De Rossi (Roma), Gattuso (Milan), Perrotta (Roma), Pirlo (Milan);
Forwards: Di Natale (Udinese), Gilardino (Milan), Iaquinta (Juventus), Lucarelli (Shakhtar Donetsk), Palladino (Juventus), Quagliarella (Udinese), Toni (Bayern Munich).


http://www.channel4.com/sport/football_italia/nov11p.html

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Euro 2008 qualifier - November 17, 2007

Scotland 1 - 2 Italy

Toni 2 (I), Ferguson 65 (S), Panucci 91 (I)
Hampden Park

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Luca Toni and Christian Panucci earned Italy's dramatic first ever victory in Scotland to qualify for Euro 2008!

This was Italy's fourth visit to Scottish soil and they had never won, managing just two draws and a defeat. The first encounter was a 1-0 result on November 9, 1965, followed by a 0-0 in November 1992 and a 1-1 on September 3, 2005.

Group B hung in the balance in Glasgow, as a win would automatically qualify Scotland, while defeat would see Italy and France through to Euro 2008. A draw would put the Azzurri in the driving seat ahead of their final game against the Faroe Islands on Wednesday, while Scotland would have to hope Ukraine beat France.

Donadoni picked a 4-3-3 system with Mauro Camoranesi and Antonio Di Natale flanking Luca Toni, while Christian Panucci was chosen ahead of Massimo Oddo at right-back. The Scots opted for a solid midfield and just James McFadden upfront.

There was driving rain over Glasgow as Italy debuted their new white away strip. The team wore black armbands in honour of Gabriele Sandri, the Lazio fan accidentally shot dead by police last week.

The Azzurri could not have asked for a better start! After 69 seconds Antonio Di Natale carried on a Gianluca Zambrotta throw-in for Luca Toni to fire into the near top corner from six yards with the outside of his right foot. Toni netted both goals in the 2-0 home win earlier in Group B and marked his card again.

Moments later it should've been 2-0, as Toni held up the ball and crossed back for the unmarked Mauro Camoranesi to blast over the bar. It was a shock opening for the Scots, who had a 100 per cent record on home turf.

Fabio Cannavaro celebrated his 112th cap, matching the record set by Dino Zoff. Toni pounced on a misplaced Stephen McManus clearance and his angled drive thumped the side-netting thanks to a Craig Gordon fingertip save.

Scotland's first chance came after 15 minutes, as expected, from a set-piece. A free header was charged down and the follow-up from Lee McCulloch deflected wide off Zambrotta's arm, but it was held tight to his torso and the referee waved away penalty appeals.

Gigi Buffon punched out another corner and Barry Ferguson drilled over from the edge of the area. Italy were struggling from set plays and another corner found Alan Hutton unmarked for a free header that skimmed the upright.

A free kick was cleared poorly and Gigi Buffon got down well to smother a weak Barry Ferguson finish.

Italy hit the back of the net for a second time, but it was disallowed for an incorrect offside position. Toni, Camoranesi and Di Natale combined as a series of ricochets finally saw Di Natale blast in from six yards, but the linesman disallowed the goal for offside. Replays show the Udinese star was kept in play by the Scottish defence when Gordon parried Massimo Ambrosini's effort into his path.

Andrea Pirlo's free kick came out to Zambrotta whose shot was accidentally charged down by one of his teammates in white, while Camoranesi mistimed a counter-attack pass for Gennaro Gattuso and there was a brief scuffle between Toni and David Weir.

Di Natale's clearance almost turned into an assist for McFadden, but Andrea Barzagli perfectly timed a sliding tackle to cut him off when clear on goal.

Scotland were about to equalise in the final seconds of the first half. Another Ferguson corner kick found Hutton for a free header that looped over Buffon, but Pirlo got a goalline clearance at the far post to send Italy into the break 1-0 up.

The Azzurri threatened after the restart, as Gattuso got away down the right twice in the opening minutes, but Di Natale's volley was charged down by a defensive body.

Pirlo's timid free kick was easily gathered, but there was danger when Panucci floated a ball over the top and Zambrotta's cross turned into a looping finish palmed away by Gordon.

It had stopped raining, but the pitch was still extremely slippery and players from both sides had trouble keeping their footing. A Scots counter from Hutton earned a free kick from Zambrotta on the edge of the box. McFadden's effort took a double deflection and although Buffon managed to parry the first shot from McCulloch, he could do nothing on the follow-up. However, replays suggest Ferguson was offside and the incorrect decision was made by the same linesman who ruled out Italy's goal in the first half.

Donadoni threw on Vincenzo Iaquinta for Di Natale. Buffon rushed out to close down McFadden, getting his hat knocked off but avoiding a potentially dangerous collision. Kenny Miller replaced Scott Brown.

Pirlo's long-range free kick bounced just in front of Gordon, but went wide, while McFadden drilled wide at the end of a good Scottish team move. Gattuso was left with a bloody nose and went off for treatment. During this spell Scotland nearly scored on the counter, as McFadden incredibly fired wide of an open goal from seven yards as he came sliding in at the back post.

Giorgio Chiellini replaced the tired Camoranesi as the Scots poured forward in the final minutes of their qualifying campaign. Daniele De Rossi came on for Gattuso and immediately won back an important ball in midfield to spark Toni's run. The Bayern Munich star earned a free kick and from Pirlo's set-piece Panucci's diving header at the back post was inches wide of the target, as the Roma defender clattered into the upright.

Chiellini's first touch let him down in front of goal, but he earned a free kick near the corner flag. Pirlo chipped up the ball for Panucci's splendid looping header across the face of goal to beat Gordon in the final minute!

It was almost 3-1, as Iaquinta cut back for Chiellini's strike that Gordon palmed out from under the crossbar.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Scotland: Gordon; Hutton, Weir, McManus, Naysmith; Hartley; Brown (Miller 74), Ferguson, Fletcher, McCulloch (Boyd 92); McFadden
Italy: Buffon; Panucci, Cannavaro, Barzagli, Zambrotta; Pirlo, Gattuso (De Rossi 86), Ambrosini; Camoranesi (Chiellini 83), Toni, Di Natale (Iaquinta 67)
Ref: Mejuto Gonzalez (Spa)

http://www.channel4.com/sport/football_ita...ly/sco-ita.html

Lippi: Italy can take Euro title Sunday 18 November, 2007
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

World Cup winning Coach Marcello Lippi believes the Azzurri can go on to lift the European Championship next summer.

"The Italy squad is made up of a group of fantastic people who have not lost their hunger for victory," said Lippi.


They qualified for Euro 2008 with a hard-fought 2-1 win away to Scotland on Saturday and will top Group B if they beat the Faroe Islands on Wednesday.


"It is only right that they are in the European Championships. In fact, they could quite possibly win it."


Merely getting to Austria and Switzerland is already an achievement, as when Italy won the 1982 World Cup they then failed to even qualify for the following European event.


Francesco Totti was part of Lippi's World Cup side, but has not played for the Azzurri since the Final in Berlin.


"I compliment the entire squad and I am very happy for them," said the Roma captain, who has hinted he could be tempted out of international retirement.


"I also want to praise my teammate Christian Panucci for scoring the crucial goal."

http://www.channel4.com/sport/football_italia/nov18b.html

Buffon: Dedicated to Donadoni
Sunday 18 November, 2007
Gianluigi Buffon has dedicated Italy's Euro 2008 qualification to Roberto Donadoni. "Anyone else would've given up after the start we had."

The Azzurri had a disastrous beginning to their Donadoni era back in 2006, when the inexperienced tactician was chosen to replace World Cup winner Marcello Lippi.

He lost two of his first three games, including a 3-1 qualifier in France, and stuttered to a 1-1 draw with Lithuania in Naples.

"Any other national team would've given up after the terrible September we had after the World Cup," commented Buffon.

"We didn't do that and some of the credit must go to Donadoni. The winner here was his consistency, his hunger for hard work and his sheer pig-headedness."

The tactician's job was on the line several times during this qualification campaign and he would have been sacked had Italy not reached the European Championships.

"There was no particular spark that made us have faith in him, we simply offered him our respect. Over time that rapport grew."

Azzurri captain Fabio Cannavaro also had a special dedication for the Coach, who was lambasted in the media for his lack of experience.

"We were always sure of Donadoni. Of course we were aware he was a young Coach, but he had great ideas and can really motivate his men," said the defender.

"This is a qualification we had to suffer for and he earned it."

http://www.channel4.com/sport/football_italia/nov18f.html

Totti: I was joking!



Thursday 29 November, 2007

Francesco Totti has laughed off speculation that he may be lured back into the Azzurri fold as he claims his comments were taken out of context.

The Roma captain retired from international football after the World Cup triumph in Germany and has always insisted that his time in the Azzurri shirt is over.

However, in a recent interview with GQ magazine, Totti hinted that in the event of an injury crisis he would be willing to step in for Euro 2008, but he has distanced himself from his statement.

"The question about my return to international football seemed absurd, so I gave an absurd answer," the 31-year-old claimed.

"I want to make that clear because I don't want to show any lack of respect for the players who achieved qualification for the European Championships.

"What I said was that if the night before the tournament all our strikers got injured I could go to Euro 2008 - it was a joke.

"I haven't changed my mind over my future in the national side and my decision remains that it is a closed chapter."

Champions format changes

Friday 30 November, 2007

From 2009 three Serie A sides will enter the Champions League automatically with a fourth to go through the preliminary round.

At the moment only the top two from Italy, Spain and England are given places in the group phase, while two more must qualify in August.

However, today UEFA confirmed that the format would be changed to increase competition in these preliminary rounds.

From 2009 the fourth-placed sides in Serie A, La Liga and the Premier League will have to face off against the runners-up from second seed nations such as Holland and Portugal.

Another change implemented by UEFA President Michel Platini is moving the Champions League Final to a Saturday night slot.

Usually played on a Wednesday, the Final is switched from 2010, so the first Saturday event will be at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.

"We are all of the opinion that this is a great competition which provides a considerable spectacle," said Platini.

"I also hope that playing the UEFA Champions League Final on a Saturday will give families, especially children, the chance to see the game."

Today's meeting in Lucerne, Switzerland, also sounded the death knell for the increasingly unpopular Intertoto Cup, which will be scrapped.

Instead, from 2009 the UEFA Cup will have 12 groups of four teams with the top two progressing to the knock-out stage.

Here they will face off against the eight clubs that have finished third in the Champions League groups.

Serie A Week 14 - 1/12/07 (19.30 UK)

Milan 0 - 0 Juventus
Stadio Giuseppe Meazza

Only the frame of the goal and some fantastic goalkeeping ensured the big game Milan-Juventus ended in a stalemate.

These two sides dominated Serie A in the 1990s, but this was a head-to-head battle to stay in the Scudetto race, especially for a Milan outfit that had not won a single domestic game at San Siro this season. Ronaldo, Marek Jankulovski, Mauro Camoranesi and Zdenek Grygera were sidelined and Claudio Ranieri surprisingly chose to drop Alessandro Del Piero.

It was immediately a very aggressive and fast-paced game. Vincenzo Iaquinta chested down the ball for David Trezeguet to drill wide, but the move was stopped for an incorrect offside flag.

Trezeguet went even closer on 11 minutes, as Cristiano Zanetti won back the ball in midfield and placed the searching pass over the defence for the Frenchman's volley to smack against the base of the near post.

Gigi Buffon slapped a corner kick off Kakha Kaladze's head at the back post, then Clarence Seedorf toe-poked the ball inches past the upright. Nelson Dida smothered a Zanetti volley and Kaladze required a perfectly-timed intervention to prevent Iaquinta going clear on goal.

Alberto Gilardino was halted for a very tight offside flag and Nicola Legrottaglie was booked for stopping a Kaka counter. Buffon got down well to block an Andrea Pirlo snapshot that bounced just in front of the goalkeeper.

Cristian Molinaro did extremely well to take Pirlo's long pass off Kaka's feet in the D, then Pavel Nedved cut back past Kaladze with a dummy and slipped as he pulled the trigger from 10 yards. Alessandro Nesta had penalty appeals for a Jonathan Zebina embrace, but Trezeguet's first-time pass set Nedved free and Serginho nodded out for a corner before Iaquinta could pounce.

Straight after the restart Juventus had perhaps their best chance so far. Hasan Salihamidzic skipped past Serginho with some wonderful footwork, his fierce rising strike bringing a brilliant one-handed save out of Dida. The move continued and Nedved's follow-up was charged down.

Moments later Buffon was also called into a fantastic reaction save with his shin from Kaka's volley. Gilardino put the loose ball into the net, but he was flagged offside.

Gilardino was furious when he just failed to get on the end of Kaka's cross, as he felt he was held back by Legrottaglie as the two came sliding in to the six-yard box.

Dida got down well to capture a touched-on Iaquinta free kick, while Buffon had difficulty spilling a Pirlo set-piece and grabbing it at the second attempt after it had looped into the air. Molinaro exchanged passes with Nedved, but the taut cross flashed across the face of goal with Iaquinta and Trezeguet unable to get the final touch.

Carlo Ancelotti went for experience, introducing Pippo Inzaghi and Paolo Maldini for Gilardino and the disappointing Serginho. Zebina slipped and almost left Kaka clear on goal before Legrottaglie cleaned up.

Kaka turned between three defenders and had his shot charged down by Legrottaglie. Inzaghi showed he can still ride the offside flag as his powerful effort was parried by Buffon at point-blank range.

Ranieri also made a double substitution with Del Piero and Marco Marchionni on for Salihamidzic and Iaquinta. Nesta intercepted a pass just before Del Piero could bury it, then veteran Maldini skipped between two defenders for Seedorf's cross-shot.

Maldini was almost the unlikely match-winner in the final minute, his strike whistling over the bar from the edge of the box.

In stoppages Massimo Ambrosini rolled a ball across the box for Inzaghi, but Buffon stood his ground and managed to use his legs to shield the goal.

A minute later it was Legrottaglie's turn to charge down a Kaka curler from the edge of the penalty area.

Milan: Dida; Oddo (Bonera 78), Nesta, Kaladze, Serginho (Maldini 63); Gattuso, Pirlo, Ambrosini; Seedorf, Kaka; Gilardino (Inzaghi 63)

Juventus: Buffon; Zebina, Legrottaglie, Chiellini, Molinaro; Salihamidzic (Marchionni 71), Nocerino, Zanetti; Nedved (Palladino 81); Trezeguet, Iaquinta (Del Piero 71)
Ref: Morganti

Euro 2008: Italy's Group of Death

Sunday 2 December, 2007

Italy have drawn the Group of Death in Euro 2008 against Holland, France and Adrian Mutu's Romania.

The draw for the European Championships in Austria and Switzerland were held this morning in Lucerne.

Group C looks like by far the toughest, as Italy will face seeds Holland, Euro 2000 winners France and the impressive Romania, who already defeated the Netherlands in qualifying.

The Azzurri reached the finals by topping Group B ahead of France, but were not among the four seeds, those spots taken by joint hosts Austria and Switzerland, Euro 2004 champions Greece and Holland.

Italy open their tournament against Holland - who they beat in an epic Euro 2000 semi-final on penalties - on June 9 in Berne.

Romania take on Roberto Donadoni's men on June 13 in Zurich and the decider will be with old enemies France in Zurich on June 21.

Placed in the second pot, they ran into the 'Group of Death' in the tournament to be held from June 7 to the Final in Vienna on June 29.

Hosts Austria will take on neighbours Germany, Poland and Croatia in games that are sure to pack an emotional punch.

The opening match on June 7 will be Switzerland v the Czech Republic in Basel.


Group A
Switzerland
Czech Republic
Portugal
Turkey

Group B
Austria
Croatia
Germany
Poland

Group C
Holland
Italy
Romania
France

Group D
Greece
Sweden
Spain
Russia

2008: Don expected the worst

Sunday 2 December, 2007

Roberto Donadoni always thought Italy's Euro 2008 draw would be tough and believes they are ready for it.

"I was hoping for a little more good luck, but that is fine," said the Coach after they were placed in Group C alongside Holland, Romania and France.

"I had a feeling it was going to be a very difficult group and it is just the latest challenge that we must face with a relaxed state of mind. There are more worrying things in life than football."

It is a revenge mission all around, as Holland are still smarting from their Euro 2000 semi-final defeat on penalties against 10-man Italy, while relations with France have deteriorated to an all-time low after the ill-tempered World Cup Final and qualifying campaign.

France boss Raymond Domenech showed he is still angry about the encounters with the Azzurri, as he walked out of today's Press Conference when asked about Marco Materazzi.

"I don't talk about Materazzi, the Italians do," said the tactician who picked up a touchline ban during qualifying for false allegations against Italy.

"First they provoke me and then blame me for everything, but I won't let myself get swept up in it."

Donadoni was told of the incident, but decided not to get involved in another media melee.

"It is not up to me to judge Domenech's behaviour," said the former Livorno Coach. "All I say is that to avoid another run-up to Italy-France with a poisonous atmosphere we must all use common sense.

"Speaking personally, the idea of taking on France again does not create any particular emotions in me."