This weekend Italy take on Finland in the Group 9 Euro 2004 qualifier. Since the debacle in South Korea, the Italian national team haven't really prospered. One good omen for this weekend is that the match is being played in La Favorita in Palermo. This stadium seems to bring La Nazionale good luck, six matches there have resulted in five wins and a draw. Our friends in Northern Ireland may well remember their team being defeated 2-0 there in January 1997. In saying this is a lucky ground, the last Euro qualifier played there saw Croatia cause an upset and win 2-1. Hopefully this encounter will end with an Italian victory. History suggests that this will be the case. The first game between the teams, in 1912, saw the Finns win 3-2. The eight games since have seen Italy win seven and draw one. The last meeting being a 2-0 win in a friendly in 1994, before Italy headed to the USA for the World Cup.
It looks like the team will be Buffon in goal, Panucci, Nesta, Cannavaro and Zambrotta in defence, two central midfielders - Perrotta and Zanetti, covering the wide areas and linking with the striker there will be Camoranesi, Totti and Delvecchio. Christian Vieri will be the lone striker. Similarities to the Real Madrid system are not entirely coincidental! This will be the return of Totti after his dismissal against South Korea. In great form for Roma, let's hope he displays some of that at the weekend.
Italy's next match will be the return in Helsinki, six points would restore some much needed morale after the disappointing loss in Cardiff. Group 9 currently looks like this:
P W D L Pts
Wales 3 3 0 0 9
Yugoslavia 3 1 2 0 4
Italy 3 1 1 1 4
Finland 3 1 0 2 3
Azerbaijan 4 0 1 3 1
In case the team mentioned above is wrong, here is the complete squad:
Goalkeepers: Buffon and Toldo
Defenders: Cannavaro, Nesta, Legrottaglie, Panucci, Ferrari, Birindelli
Midfielders: Zambrotta, Camoranesi, Fiore, Perrotta, Zanetti, Pirlo, Tommasi
Strikers: Corradi, Delvecchio, Miccoli, Totti, Vieri
As you can see, no Rino Gattuso. The ex-Ger isn't too thrilled and isn't happy that he is always talked of in negative terms. After all, as he says, it was Trapattoni who put him on to replace Del Piero against South Korea! There has been a breakdown between them and it's a pity that Trapattoni values Camoranesi more highly than Rino, the recent Milan - Juve game highlighted that Gattuso is the more valuable of the two.
Also in the news this week was the surprise announcement that we may be about to sign Saliou Lassissi. Saliou is 26 this year and built like the proverbial outhouse. He can also play a bit. He made his breakthrough with Rennes in 96/97 and moved to Italy in 98/99. He has had spells with Parma, Sampdoria, Fiorentina and he's currently with Roma. A leg break has curtailed his progress there though and he has yet to make a league appearance.
Calciomercato stated that his agent, Roger Boli (yes, I think he is his brother) wold be in Glasgow to discuss terms. It went on to say that Rangers were very interested and that Lassissi was too. Boli went on to say that Saliou " loved British football and for him to land in Scotland would be a dream." I hope it becomes reality.
Good luck to Italy and let's hope its benvenuto in Scozia Saliou! Being from the Ivory Coast he'll speak French but not knowing a word of that, we'll stick with Italian.
Calo
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