Dubai: While Italy have been handed a tough draw in Group D in Brazil alongside Uruguay, England and Costa Rica, their fans will at least take heart from one fact — they can’t do any worse than four years ago.
In South Africa, the Azzurri somehow contrived to finish bottom of a pool containing Paraguay, Slovakia and New Zealand, collecting just two points before a 3-2 defeat by the eastern Europeans ensured the defending champions went home early.
Since then, however, Cesare Prandelli has come in as coach and the four-time world champions have been on an upward curve.
Just two years after their World Cup embarrassment, Italy reached the final of Euro 2012 playing a far more attractive brand of football than the ‘catenaccio’ they are famed for. And last year they again impressed on the way to finishing third in the Confederations Cup in Brazil.
And another big difference between the squads of 2014 and 2010 is that two key players will be available this time — reliable veteran midfielder Andrea Pirlo and maverick striker Mario Balotelli.
Juventus maestro Pirlo was absent through injury four years ago — aside from a brief substitute appearance in the final game against Slovakia — and his subsequent performances for both club and country have marked him out as a potential key player this summer, even at the age of 35. The deep-lying playmaker regularly delivers cutting final balls, while his strike rate from dead ball opportunities is phenomenal and he will be a lynchpin of Italy’s efforts.
Balotelli, meanwhile, is far less reliable but perhaps even more important when he does get it right. If the enigmatic AC Milan frontman finds the mood that saw him score twice to down Germany in the Euro 2012 semi-finals, then he will be a genuine match-winner. But if he produces the form and attitude that saw him bombed out of Manchester City, Italy could struggle. Up front, Balotelli’s partnership with Giuseppe Rossi looks promising if the Fiorentina forward has fully recovered from a serious knee injury he suffered in January. Further back, Daniele de Rossi is always an impressive driving force in midfield, while Italy’s defence wears its usual impregnable look.
Italy
Group D
Fifa ranking: 9
Top man
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Mario Balotelli |
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Coach
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Cesare Prandelli |
Best 11 (4-4-2)
Buffon; De Sciglio, Chiellini, Barzagli, Abate; Motta, Pirlo, Aquilani, De Rossi; Cassano, Balotelli
Squad
Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Salvatore Sirigu (Paris Saint-Germain), Mattia Perin (Genoa)
Defenders: Ignazio Abate (AC Milan), Andrea Barzagli (Juventus), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Matteo Darmian (Torino), Mattia De Sciglio (AC Milan), Gabriel Paletta (Parma)
Midfielders: Alberto Aquilani (Fiorentina), Antonio Candreva (Lazio), Daniele De Rossi (Roma), Claudio Marchisio (Juventus), Thiago Motta (Paris Saint-Germain), Marco Parolo (Parma), Andrea Pirlo (Juventus), Marco Verratti (Paris Saint-Germain)
Forwards: Mario Balotelli (AC Milan), Antonio Cassano (Parma), Alessio Cerci (Torino), Ciro Immobile (Torino), Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli)
Group opponents
Qualifying campaign
Topped Uefa qualifying Group B after staying unbeaten through their 10 matches, finishing six points clear of Denmark.
World Cup history
First tournament: 1934 at home
Appearances (before 2014): 17
Best finish: Winners (1934, 38, 82, 2006)
Pros
- Experienced spine of Buffon, Chiellini and Pirlo a match for the best teams in the world.
- Pirlo scores many goals from free-kicks on the edge of the area.
- Impressed when finishing third in last year’s Confederations Cup in Brazil.
Cons
- If temperamental Balotelli doesn’t fire, Italy may struggle to find the net in open play.
- Ageing squad may tire amidst extended tournament in energy-sapping conditions.
- Tough draw could see them miss out on the last 16 for the second World Cup in a row.
