Azzurri

[renz_reggy03]

The Italy National Football Team represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation, the governing body for football in Italy.



Nickname: Azzurri
Association: Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio
Confederation: UEFA (Europe)
Head coach: Cesare Prandelli
Captain: Gianluigi Buffon
Most caps: Fabio Cannavaro (136)
Top scorer: Luigi Riva (35)

World Cup
Appearances: 17 (First in 1934)
Best result: Winners - 1934, 1938, 1982, 2006
European Championship
Appearances: 7 (First in 1968)
Best result: Winners - 1968

[cutey_kiangs]

I thought you'll not make a thread of the Azzuris.

For some reason, I really like this team.

[renz_reggy03]

^Of course I would. Just can't make all of them at once.

[spoiler start]Thought I'll just start these threads since no one has done so, and since I've also created the 'Threads Listing/Directory' found on the Football Forum Guide thread.[spoiler end]

[CaptainCharisma]

gone are the days when I know everyone on the Azzurri team sheet

[robertbrian23]

Rossi would be in the line up. haven't heard of a great italian lately. kiko macheda maybe. lolz
baletolli is an idiot which i don't know if his actions would merit to the italian squad.

[KizunaMith]

Also loved the Azzurri alongside the Oranje of course. But Lippi killed them, then Prandelli. Anyway, they have good attackers in the past which are always good to watch in the Serie A in the likes of Iaquinta, Quagliarella, Di Natale, Del Piero, Totti, Gilardino, Amauri, and of course, Cassano.

Too bad I do not see the Italy of those days coming back any time soon - the Italy that you do not score against.

[cutey_kiangs]

^ Prandelli is doing good. Italy did not lose in Euro 2012 qualifiers. And even have 9 straight undefeated streak. Lippi is not the same when he was re-appointed coach after Donadoni.

[scatterbrain15]

azzuri!!!,

with 4 world cups.

my favorite team of all time.

[renz_reggy03]

Italy squad for the friendlies with Poland and Uruguay:

Gianluigi Buffon, Salvatore Sirigu, Morgan De Sanctis, Ignazio Abate, Federico Balzaretti, Andrea Barzagli, Giorgio Chiellini, Domenico Criscito, Christian Maggio, Angelo Ogbonna, Andrea Ranocchia, Alberto Aquilani, Daniele de Rossi, Claudio Marchisio, Riccardo Montolivo, Thiago Motta, Antonio Nocerino, Andrea Pirlo, Mario Balotelli, Sebastian Giovinco, Alessandro Matri, Pablo Osvaldo, Giampaolo Pazzini, Pepe.

[renz_reggy03]

Friendly: Poland 0-2 Italy (Balotelli 30', Pazzini 60')

[renz_reggy03]

Friendly: Italy 0-1 Uruguay

[nwfirstranger]

Italy name 32 players for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers:Buffon (Juventus), De Sanctis (Napoli), Sirigu (Paris St. Germain), Viviano (Palermo);

Defenders:Abate (Milan), Astori (Cagliari), Balzaretti (Palermo), Barzagli (Juventus), Bocchetti (Rubin Kazan), Bonucci (Juventus), Chiellini (Juventus), Criscito (Zenit San Pietroburgo), Maggio (Napoli), Ogbonna (Torino), Ranocchia (Inter);

Midfielders:Cigarini (Atalanta), De Rossi (Roma), Diamanti (Bologna), Giaccherini (Juventus), Marchisio (Juventus), Montolivo (Fiorentina), Thiago Motta (Paris St. Germain), Nocerino (Milan), Pirlo (Juventus),Schelotto (Atalanta), Verratti (Pescara);

Forwards:Balotelli (Manchester City), Borini (Roma), Cassano (Milan), Destro (Siena), Di Natale (Udinese), Giovinco (Parma)

Prandelli should try to use Conte's 3-5-2 since a great part of Juve's core are called up. Hope Chiello makes a full recovery.

-------------------Buffon---------------------

--------Barzagli---Bonucci---Chiellini-----------

Maggio---De Rossi---Pirlo---Marchisio---Criscito

--------------Balotelli---Cassano--------------

or the standard 4-4-2. Just remove Bonucci and add an AM, and Giovinco should do it.

Having all these Juve players makes me excited, but their attacking side is not that impressive. Balotelli is pretty much a wild one. He is their best striker available right now IMO, but a ticking red card bomb.

[robertbrian23]

what is that Pirlo who had played for AC Milan from Roy Hodgson's view? LOL

[renz_reggy03]

Consegnata all’Uefa la lista dei 23 giocatori convocati per gli Europei

La Federcalcio ha consegnato all’Uefa la lista ufficiale dei 23 giocatori convocati dal Ct Cesare Prandelli per i Campionati Europei di Polonia ed Ucraina.

Di seguito l’elenco dei convocati per i Campionati Europei di Polonia ed Ucraina con i numeri di maglia

Portieri

1 Gianluigi Buffon
14 Morgan De Sanctis
12 Salvatore Sirigu

Difensori

7 Ignazio Abate
6 Federico Balzaretti
15 Andrea Barzagli
19 Leonardo Bonucci
3 Giorgio Chiellini
2 Christian Maggio
4 Angelo Obinze Ogbonna

Centrocampisti

16 Daniele De Rossi
22 Alessandro Diamanti
13 Emanuele Giaccherini
8 Claudio Marchisio
18 Riccardo Montolivo
5 Thiago Motta
23 Antonio Nocerino
21 Andrea Pirlo

Attaccanti

9 Mario Barwuah Balotelli
17 Fabio Borini
10 Antonio Cassano
11 Antonio Di Natale
20 Sebastian Giovinco

[cutey_kiangs]

YAY! Azurri!

They are grouped against Spain and tough Croatia. But I believe that they will at least go through the semis. I hope I'm right.

[nwfirstranger]

YAY! Azurri!

They are grouped against Spain and tough Croatia. But I believe that they will at least go through the semis. I hope I'm right.

They might, as long as they use the core of Juve. Although, I think that the semis will be their dead-end. With Rossi injured, they seriously lack firepower. Unless Balotelli can instantly transform into a goal-scoring machine.

I hope they can redeem themselves from that ugly WC performance.

[cutey_kiangs]

^ Wala ako tiwala kay Balloteli. Sabi mo nga dito he's a ticking red card. At baka first match nya pa lang red card na sya kaagad

Sayang talaga at wala si Rossi. And I'm not sure about the health of Cassano. But a semis is good run after their horrendous WC10, and Euro 08 qf exit.

[nwfirstranger]

Sayang si Matri, ganda ng form niya nung first half ng season.

[cutey_kiangs]

Italy friendly with Luxembourg cancelled after earthquake

The international friendly between Italy and Luxembourg has been cancelled in the wake of an earthquake that hit the Emilia-Romagna region on Tuesday.

The Euro 2012 warmup game was scheduled to take place at the Ennio Tardini in Parma, but the Italian football federation (FIGC) and the local authorities have opted to cancel the match following Tuesday's events.

The 5.8 magnitude earthquake hit just after 3:00 ET, and within 90 minutes four aftershocks measuring above 4.0 also hit the area.

At least 10 people have reportedly died in the quake, all in the Modena area, while several more are buried under collapsed buildings.

Tuesday's earthquake comes only nine days after the area was hit by a 6.0 tremor.

Italy's next Euro 2012 warmup match will take place on June 1 against Russia in Zurich.

[nwfirstranger]

Got thrashed by Russia in the second half. That sucks.

I hope Prandelli starts Abate instead of Maggio if he's going to use four defenders. Maggio can't defend and is more suited as a midfielder like in Napoli. Or just adopt Conte's 3-5-2