Cyprus Possible Team: Antonis Georgallides, Alexis Yarpozis, Elias Charalambous, Paraskevas Christou, Andreas Constantinou, Chryssis Michael, Stelios Okkarides, Constantinos Charalambides, Constantinos Makrides, Stathis Aloneftis, Ioannis Okkas.
Italy Possible Team: Gianluigi Buffon, Gianluca Zambrotta, Fabio Cannavaro, Alessandro Gamberini, Fabio Grosso, Gennaro Gattuso, Andrea Pirlo, Daniele De Rossi, Mauro Camoranesi, Luca Toni, Antonio Di Natale.
Italy strike gold as Zidane sees red
Italy 1 - 1 France (Italy won 5-3 on pens)
Materazzi, 19; Zidane, 7 (pen)
Marcello Lippi picked out his captain Fabio Cannavaro and goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon for special praise as he rejoiced in his team’s World Cup victory last night. The Italy coach hailed those two as the tournament’s outstanding players and claimed Buffon unsettled his Juventus club-mate David Trezeguet in the penalty shoot-out. Trezeguet hit the bar, the only one of the nine takers to miss.
“This World Cup has given opportunities to two people who have suffered,” Lippi said. “One is Cannavaro; he is the greatest defender in the world. He is just the best but Buffon comes close. Buffon did not make the save from the penalties but he influenced Trezeguet’s mistake.”
Italy had a miserable record in World Cup shoot-outs before this game. They had lost every one in which they had been involved, including to France in the 1998 quarter-final and to Brazil in the 1994 final, but their penalties were unerringly dispatched this time to claim the trophy.
“I have seen matches end up in penalty shoot-outs and the ones I have lost are the ones where the players didn’t want to shoot,” Lippi said. “My boys wanted it really strongly tonight and that’s why we scored all five.”
This triumph adds to Lippi’s already impressive collection of honours. He has won domestic and European trophies - including the Champions League - with Juventus but described this as the finest triumph of his career.
“I have to say thanks to the players,” he said. “This is the most satisfying moment of my life. We are very happy. I dedicate the victory to my family. The players have unlimited heart, character and personality.”
Asked how he felt, the 58-year-old replied: “The greatest satisfaction that any coach or footballer can feel. I’ve had the fortune to win the Champions League - a kind of world title for clubs - and lots of Serie A titles but I’ve never felt anything like this.”
The success comes against the backdrop of the match-fixing crisis that has gripped Italian domestic football. The Milan midfielder Gennaro Gattuso said that the affair had played a significant part in the team’s performances. “If the scandal hadn’t happened, I think we wouldn’t have won the World Cup,” the midfielder said. “It has given us more strength.”
Lippi paid tribute to Italy’s fans, saying their support had “filled us with hope and pride and joy at a time when we really needed it”, and to his players. “I don’t know if it was a penalty to France but there was a wonderful reaction from my team,” he said. “We always hoped we could make it. We were dangerous all over the pitch but we were playing against a good team.”
This was almost certainly the final act in Francesco Totti’s international career. The Roma playmaker had a poor game and was taken off just after the hour but he departs a winner. “He paid the price of 120 minutes against Germany,” Lippi said. “That took its toll. He had not recovered his optimum form.”
Ref From guardian.co.uk
Gianluigi Buffon has spoken of his pride at wearing the captain’s armband for Italy in what promises to be a hard-fought clash with Holland.
Fabio Cannavaro misses the entire tournament with ankle ligament problems and Alessandro Del Piero is likely to be on the bench, so the goalkeeper leads his team out tonight.
“I am happy, because my debut with the Nazionale was many years ago and it was just a question of time, considering my age,” smiled the Juventus star.
It will be only the third time he has captained his country at senior level. He currently boasts 81 caps since a 1-1 World Cup play-off result in Russia on October 29, 1997.
“Clearly it is sad that Fabio is out of action and his absence is terrible for us in a thousand different ways. Above all he is a reference point for everyone, but those who do play are talented and will certainly be ready.”
Buffon and Cannavaro go way back, as they have been teammates at Parma, Juventus and with Italy.
“With Fabio we just need a glance to understand each other and he is one of the two or three in this group who can really make their leadership skills felt.
“I don’t know if I’ll be the one commanding the defence now. You need to talk only so much in these situations to give the right orders. I think our defence still gives us real guarantees and I feel very relaxed.”
Euro 2008 has played its first four games with Portugal and Germany standing out as early contenders for the trophy.
This afternoon France open Group C by taking on Romania, then at 19.45 UK time Italy face Holland.
“From Saturday we have been sensing the right atmosphere, from the moment they started playing. We are curious to see how ready we are for this appointment. It is very important to get off to a strong start with three points, as we have seen how difficult it can be to begin in stuttering fashion.”
Ref From channel4.com
