With both Giuseppe Rossi and Antonio Cassano recovering from surgery, the chances that Italy’s two starting forwards will recover in time for the European Championship are slim.
So coach Cesare Prandelli is searching for new solutions ahead of upcoming friendlies against -Poland today and in Rome against Uruguay on Tuesday.
“Players with Antonio’s characteristics don’t exist. Considering Rossi’s absence also, we’ve got to take a new road,” Prandelli said on Monday. “We’ve got to start right away and get ourselves ready for the Euros.”
PHOTO: EPA
Prandelli mentioned up to four new possibilities for his forward line, saying he’s thinking about pairing Alessandro Matri with Giampaolo Pazzini, Mario Balotelli with Pablo Osvaldo, Pazzini with Osvaldo, or involving winger Simone Pepe in a 4-3-3.
“We don’t have a real center forward, but we’ve got other modern forwards,” Prandelli said. “Of course we’re hoping to have back Cassano and Rossi, but only time will tell.”
Rossi recently tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee and will need about six months to recover from surgery, while Cassano is expected to be out for four to six months after he underwent heart surgery on Friday.
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