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All eyes on the Azzurri as they kick off their 2010 World Cup Campaign

Hasan Saiyid, June 14 2010,
If there were any optimists hoping that the strained relationship between Italy coach Marcello Lippi and the Italian media would start to slacken at the World Cup, they must be disappointed.

By Hasan Saiyid

Marcello Lippi Italy Couach

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On the eve of Italy’s opening match against Paraguay, Lippi was in typically defiant mood, branding the Italian press’ assessments of the Azzurri’s chances excessively “critical and skeptical”; Lippi, in his own words, has “no doubts” over Italy’s preparedness.  Despite his poise, one gets the feeling that Lippi’s equanimity may be slightly misguided.

Italy left for South Africa amongst widespread pessimism, a national mainstay of a country in which fan and pundit alike vie for legitimacy.  The Italian public is peculiarly critical when it comes to the national team, and even the Lippi-led 2006 triumph has done little to placate the naysayers.  But they have a point.  Italy enter this World Cup with a potentially porous backline. Goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, arguably one of the best in the business when healthy, has endured an injury plagued season.  Captain courageous Fabio Cannavaro is now the wrong side of 35, and is a pale imitation of the peerless 2006 version.  Alessandro Nesta, who had a creditable season at Milan, has refused to come back from retirement, while his club teammate Gianluca Zambrotta has had an exceptionally inconsistent year.  Traditionally, strong defending has been Italy’s wont, but Juventus’s Giorgio Chiellini aside, the defence looks worrying.

 

Further up the park, Italy look competent but not spectacular.  Admittedly, some would argue that four years ago Italy also were more substance than style, but at least there was Andrea Pirlo to inject some creativity into the team. Pirlo is currently struggling to be fit for the group stage’s third game, meaning the creative duties could fall to Fiorentina’s Riccardo Montolivio.  As promising as the 25-year-old is, he is still somewhat of an unknown quantity in a creative role for Italy.  If Montolivio does indeed start, his job will be to supply Alberto Gilardino in a probable 4-3-3 line-up.

Even if a group containing Paraguay, New Zealand, and Slovakia looks eminently negotiable, Italy would do well to take maximum points on Monday.  For one, a draw or defeat could mean a rushed return for Pirlo in the second game, a prospect that Lippi wants to avoid at all costs.  Indeed, Pirlo holds the key to how Italy could fare at this World Cup, and Italy will need him fully fit at the business end—second round and beyond—of the tournament.

In 2006, Italy had the specter of the match-fixing scandal to motivate them.  This year, they have an overwhelming sense of complacency to battle.  Many of the current squad were part of that night in Berlin that witnessed the nation’s fourth World Cup triumph.  If Lippi can motivate the team appropriately, Italy can possibly play the semi-finals of this tournament.  And even for an unforgiving public, reaching the final four is respectable.

Visit the Italy vs Paraguay Match Page for live commentary, video highlights and tv schedules for the 2010 world cup.

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