Football; Italian job needed by Spain as title defence begins

WARSAW: Spain begin their mission to become the first nation to retain the European title when they take on Italy in Gdansk on Sunday.    

Vicente del Bosque’s world champions have played the most eye-catching football in the world over the past four years and they will be fancied to beat an Italy side who arrived in Poland having lost three consecutive friendlies.

The two European heavyweights meet for a 26th time (1600 GMT) knowing the last time they clashed Italy ran out 2-1 winners in Bari in August.

Italy’s centurion goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon said on the eve of the match that they were here to cause a surprise so Spain have been warned.

However the four-times world champions preparation has been dogged by poor results and another match-fixing scandal back home, making it unlikely that Italy will venture too far from their stubborn defensive formula.

In the other Group C match on Sunday underdogs Ireland face Croatia in Poznan (1845).

Croatia coach Slaven Bilic called their opponent’s style of play “simple” on Saturday before saying his side were not capable of surprising Ireland themselves.
“We are going to repay this country for showing its faith in us. We Italians (he and assistant Marco Tardelli) are going to pay them back for what they have given us.”

Ireland’s legendary Italian coach Giovanni Trapattoni said he wanted to repay the faith placed in him by the Irish people and deliver victory over Croatia in their Euro 2012 Group A match.

The 73-year-old – who has been in the job since 2008 – will feel much more confident of delivering that after he was able to name his strongest side with 122-times capped goalkeeper Shay Given passed fit.

Trapattoni, who is appearing at his second Euro after guiding Italy to the 2004 edition where they failed to fire and he left the post afterwards, said his hunger for winning things remained as strong as ever despite accruing seven Serie A titles, the European Cup, a Cup Winners Cup and two UEFA Cups among other trophies.

“I remember that every big match I have been involved in whether with a club or the national side, I have always approached with the same concentration, dedication and meticulousness,” said Trapattoni.

“I am very grateful of the Irish people because they believed in my project, mine and that of the team.

“And for the 2010 World Cup we missed out on qualifying by the narrowest of margins… But I don’t wish to remember the France game (Thierry Henry’s infamous handball that set up the decisive French goal).

Trapattoni, who was an accomplished international midfielder, said that the first game was crucial as that would tell if the players were sufficiently recovered from their arduous league seasons.

“Without a shadow of a doubt the first match is fundamental,” said Trapattoni, who also won a Bundesliga title when coach of Bayern Munich.

“It is only then that we are going to know if our preparation has been good, if the players have recovered well from their club seasons.

“The psychological aspect will also be of primary importance, we will see if they are enthusiastic, have the belief, we will know if the road is looking good, if we have the conviction to achieve our target.”

The match is also being seen as a clash of the generations in terms of the respective coaches – a legend such as Trapattoni and one seen as a potential great – 43-year-old Slaven Bilic.

However, Trapattoni refused to ridicule his opposite number in terms of his rock star look and sporting an earring.

“He is a very good coach. One of my most burning memories is a lesson I learnt years ago from a man of enormous stature, ‘the lawyer’ (lawyer Giovanni) Agnelli (president of Juventus when the club was coached by ‘Trap’).

“He said to me to be understood by the players it’s important not to say ‘in my day’.

“With regards to the earring the cassock does not make the monk. I know my young counterpart, he was still playing when I was in Germany (when he coached Bayern), he has something a bit different from the norm, like me, but he is very serious and his team is well prepared.

“And what counts, is what the team does, more than the coach.”

Trapattoni said that he had not even given their final group match – they play holders Spain in between – with his compatriots a thought.

“I only think of what I am going to eat tonight, not what I will eat in three days,” he said laughing.

“It is the least of my concerns. I do not even know whether we will arrive at that match in a good position in the table, but it will already be a positive thing if we and Italy already have our destiny in our hands.”