Cesare Prandelli has demanded calm ahead of Italy’s make-or-break Group C encounter with the Republic of Ireland on Monday night with a place in the last eight of Euro 2012 on the line.
Draws with Spain and Croatia in their first two games has left the Azzurri needing a win in their deciding match against the already eliminated Irish if they are to stand a chance of making it to the quarter finals.
The 54-year-old believes a a considered approach will bear the desired result for the Italians and was keen to emphasise that his players need to keep their minds focused on the task in hand.
“It’s very difficult to say,” he said in his pre-match press conference. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, we are just thinking about tomorrow’s game.
“We want to win the game, that’s it. Just let us play, let’s get on with it, come on. We always want everything before it comes, we want everything now.
“We are always getting ahead of ourselves, us Italians, but I always say that if you get ahead of yourself, you fall over.”
Ireland were knocked out after being thrashed 4-0 by Spain on Thursday evening with head coach Giovani Trapattoni has charged his players with giving the fans something to cheer before they head home.
It’s been a disappointing tournament for Trapattoni who held hope that qualification would still be achievable going into the last game against his home nation and believes the scars of Italy’s elimination in Euro 2004 could play into his sides favour.
He said: “When things like this go on, we are all ready to think that we Italians are masters at making these agreements.
“We are famous – in fact, infamous – for it. Everything is the same in other countries. These things have happened all over the place. Great scars were left by this.
“We need to play our own game and ask for commitment from players for the people who pay our wages and our supporters.
“We have worked well. We will not change our approach because we lost two games. It would undermine our honour.”
Team News
Mario Balotelli be rested after limping out of training on Saturday with a knee injury although he was present for the session on Sunday. Defender Andrea Barzagli is also expected to play after returning from a calf problem that kept him out of the first two matches.
Damien Duff will captain Ireland on his 100th appearance and will be joined in the starting XI by Kevin Doyle who comes back into the side at the expense of Simon Cox.
Key Players
Antonio Cassano
Goals have been in short supply for the Milan striker as he seeks to break his Euro 2012 duck after failing to score in Italy’s first two group games. Cassano’s performances haven’t exactly been bad and finally getting off the mark against Ireland and leading the Azzurri into the last eight.
Richard Dunne
It’s been a tough tournament for the Aston Villa defender who’s played every minute so far and seen his back four breached seven times in total during their first two games. Dunne’s experience will be key to keeping Italy’s strike force at bay and giving Ireland a platform to leave the Euro’s on a high with a win.
Prediction: 3-1
