Italy are intent on starting anew after a disastrous first-round World Cup exit, and today’s European Championship qualifier in Estonia is coach Cesare Prandelli’s first real test.
When he coached Parma and Fiorentina, Prandelli’s teams often showed a lot of flair and he has declared he wants the Azzurri to create a better spectacle.
“We’re at the start of a new era,” Prandelli said. “My idea is try and win via our performance.”
Italy haven’t won any of their seven games this year — drawing four and losing three.
“We’ve got to squash these negative thoughts,” Prandelli said yesterday. “The idea of not having won in a year could weigh down the squad.”
With Amauri and Mario Balotelli both injured, Prandelli is expected to rely on the talent of Antonio Cassano — a player that former coach Marcello Lippi excluded — and his strike partner at Sampdoria, Giampaolo Pazzini, in attack.
Midfielder Andrea Pirlo is back after missing most of the World Cup with a left calf injury and will wear the captain’s armband while goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon continues his recovery from back surgery.
Previous captain Fabio Cannavaro and midfielder Gennaro Gattuso retired from the national team after the World Cup and Prandelli has not called up fullback Gianluca Zambrotta.
“We’ve got a new coach, new players and also a new mentality — which is playing well, because that’s how you win,” Pirlo said.
“Prandelli has always gotten his teams to play well and he’ll do the same thing with the national team. The World Cup was just the latest example that you’ve got to play the game, that the teams that focus on skill and quality win,” he said.
Estonia opened Group C qualifying last month with a 2-1 win over the Faroe Islands, getting two goals in second-half injury time.
Estonia are led by all-time leading scorer Andres Oper, AZ Alkmaar defender Ragnar Klavan and Middlesbrough’s Tarmo Kink.
The match will be played in Tallinn. Prandelli will then get his home debut on Tuesday in Florence against the Faroe Islands.
Italy were beaten 1-0 by Ivory Coast in a friendly last month in Prandelli’s first match.
As for the rest of the lineup, Bologna’s 24-year-old goalkeeper Emiliano Viviano could get his first start in goal, Leonardo Bonucci has replaced Cannavaro in central defense alongside Giorgio Chiellini, and the new fullbacks are Mattia Cassano of Palermo and Cristian Molinaro of Stuttgart.
Pirlo will likely be flanked by Daniele De Rossi and Riccardo Montolivo in a 4-3-3 formation with Simone Pepe or Fabio Quagliarella alongside Pazzini and Cassano up front.
Alberto Gilardino is also an option in attack.
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