GLI AZZURRI
After a wonderful Euro 2012 in Ukraine and Poland, it’s time to get to the qualification round of the World Cup in Brazil 2014, which means that there will be no league games in the major European leagues this week.
Italy travels to Sofia, Bulgaria, on September 7 to open their World Cup qualification, followed quickly by the fixture against Malta in Modena, Italy on Tuesday, September 11. These two games are expecting to be easy wins for the men in blue as the Azzurri boss aims to build from the EURO Cup. The tactician has made several call-ups for the two games which include plenty of fresh faces. Mr. Prandelli has done a good job so far mixing the team with talented youngsters and veterans. Up front has been completely revamped since the Euro in June as Mario Balotelli is on a leave due to eye surgery and Antonio Cassano has also been left out. Newcomer, Lorenzo Insigne, “the wonder kid” I like to call him, will debut at the senior level. This young lad is swiftly demonstrating his potential more than others have predicted. In recent years, it seemed as if Italian soccer was in trouble with developing youth. On the contrary, as there is a bright future waiting ahead as there is a lot of quality on this team. Prandelli opted not to include one quality player, namely Stephan El Shaarawy of Milan.
Here is the list of players along with their ages, who have been drafted by Prandelli:
GOALKEEPERS: BUFFON (JUVENTUS, 34), SALVATORE SIRIGU (PSG, 25), VIVIANO (FIORENTINA2, 27)
DEFENDERS: ASTORI (CAGLIARI, 25), BALZARETTI (ROMA 31), BARZAGLI (JUVENTUS 31), BONUCCI (JUVENTUS 25), CASSANI (FIORENTINA, 29), MAGGIO (NAPOLI 30), OGBONNA (TORINO, 24)
MIDFIELD: DE ROSSI (ROMA, 29), DIAMANTI (BOLOGNA, 29), GIACCHERINI (JUVENTUS, 27), MARCHISIO (JUVENTUS, 26), PIRLO (JUVENTUS, 33), NOCERINO (MILAN, 27), POLI (SAMPDORIA, 23), VERRATTI (PSG, 20)
FORWARDS: OSVALDO (ROMA, 26), PAZZINI (MILAN, 28), GIOVINCO (JUVENTUS, 25), BORINI (LIVERPOOL, 21), DESTRO (ROMA, 21), INSIGNE ( NAPOLI, 21)
OTHER MATCHES:
Group A
Croatia 20:15 Macedonia
Group A
Wales 20:45 Belgium
Group B
Malta 20:00 Armenia
Group B
Bulgaria 20:45 Italy
Group C
Kazakhstan 18:00 Republic of Ireland
Group C
Germany 20:45 Faroe Islands
Group D
Estonia 20:00 Romania
Group D
Andorra 20:30 Hungary
Group D
Netherlands 20:30 Turkey
Group E
Albania 20:30 Cyprus
Group E
Slovenia 20:30 Switzerland
Group E
Iceland 20:45 Norway
Group F
Russia 17:00 Northern Ireland
Group F
Azerbaijan 18:00 Israel
Group F
Luxembourg 20:45 Portugal
Group G
Liechtenstein 19:00 Bosnia and Herzegovina
Group G
Lithuania 20:15 Slovakia
Group G
Latvia 20:30 Greece
Group H
Montenegro 20:30 Poland
Group H
Moldova 20:45 England
Group I
Georgia 19:00 Belarus
Group I
Finland 20:30 France
8 September 2012
Group A
Scotland – Serbia
Group B
Denmark – Czech Republic
11 September 2012
Group A
Belgium – Croatia
Group A
Serbia – Wales
Group A
Scotland – FYROM
Group B
Bulgaria – Armenia
Group B
Italy – Malta
Group C
Austria – Germany
Group C
Sweden – Kazakhstan
Group D
Hungary – Netherlands
Group D
Romania – Andorra
Group D
Turkey – Estonia
Group E
Cyprus – Iceland
Group E
Norway – Slovenia
Group E
Switzerland – Albania
Group F
Israel – Russia
Group F
Northern Ireland – Luxembourg
Group F
Portugal – Azerbaijan
Group G
Bosnia and Herzegovina – Latvia
Group G
Greece – Lithuania
Group G
Slovakia – Liechtenstein
Group H
England – Ukraine
Group H
Poland – Moldova
Group H
San Marino – Montenegro
Group I
France – Belarus
Group I
Georgia – Spain
