Pirlo

Football Italia

Italy may face Georgia in their Euro 2008 qualifier on Wednesday without playmaker Andrea Pirlo in the side.

The Milan man is a doubt for the tie after he missed training this evening following the squad’s arrival in Tbilisi earlier today.

The former Inter player is suffering with a swollen trachea and has symptoms of a cold, even if he is not yet struggling with a high temperature.

The Italian medical team insist tonight’s absence was a precautionary measure, but boss Roberto Donadoni may be forced to make changes to the midfield which beat Ukraine 2-0 at the weekend.

The rest of the squad completed training without any problems even if the tactician is keeping journalists guessing over his starting line-up.

He tested numerous formations even if it seems that he has decided which back four to field later this week.

The ex-Milan winger tested a defence including Cristian Zaccardo, Fabio Cannavaro, Alessandro Nesta and Gianluca Zambrotta with insistence.

Should that quartet be confirmed then Donadoni will make two changes from the weekend with Zaccardo replacing Massimo Oddo on the right, while Marco Materazzi would be dropped from the centre with Nesta coming in.

Roma midfielder Simone Perrotta is also available to feature after he was forced out of the Ukraine victory with suspension.

Whispers suggest that Italy may switch from a 4-3-3 to a more conservative 4-4-1-1 with Perrotta and Mauro Camoranesi coming into the side. Antonio Di Natale may play behind lone striker Luca Toni.

So sad for pirlo hope he will recover soon. Milan& Azzurri need him