Euro 2008 (include all discussions)

It's pretty clear that most of us have deepest sympathy for Italy maybe we can start a thread about everything that concerns Italy at the EC.

Originally Posted by MLM

this is Italy's provisional Euro 2008 squad:

GK: Buffon, Amelia, De Sanctis

defenders: Panucci, Cannavaro, Materazzi, Zambrotta, Barzagli, Chiellini, Grosso

mids: Camoranesi, Pirlo, Gattuso, Ambrosini, De Rossi, Perrotta, Aquilani, Montolivo

strikers: Toni, Di Natale, Quagliarella, Del Piero, Borriello, Cassano

one of them will be dropped before May 28th 2008 because it's provisional squad. hope Materazzi will be out otherwise he will let Italy pays for his mistakes the squad is good and i'm really hoping that Toni will continue his good performances with Bayern at Euro 2008 with Italy. and my dream comes true when i saw Aquilani is on the called up players list. man is awesome. but apparently it's true that Pippo isn't called for Euro 2008. he had good performances with Milan after hes back from injury, so i kinda dissapointed like Pippo. this is his declaration taken from acmilan.com:

EURO 2008: THE DISAPPOINTMENT OF PIPPO INZAGHI
5/20/2008 5:58:00 PM
Filippo Inzaghi on the choices of Roberto Donadoni: "I thought I had shown loyalty and cohesion with the project and in our relationship. Instead I only earned silence. Too bad. My best wishes to my team mates!"
Here's Filippo Inzaghi's comment about not being called up for Euro 2008 by coach Roberto Donadoni: "I am disappointed especially from the human point of view. I had started this two-year period with a positive and frank relationship with the coach, also scoring in Naples against Lithuania the first goal of the qualifying campaign. But since in football goals are not all that matters, I thought I had also shown loyalty and cohesion with the project and the relationship with the coach, both in participating to away games without coming on the pitch, both in answering affermatively to a call up for the match against the Faroe Islands last summer in a qualification game that was worth three points like all the others. Then, the silence, despite my performances with Milan in every continent and my 18 goals scored between the winter through to April and May. Evidently an injury during my club season was enough not to even deserve a phone call, to cancel what I thought was an adult and mature relationship. I'm disappointed I was wrong, many sincere best wishes to the Azzurri for the Euros."

not only inzaghi got cut from the squad but also Oddo

channel four
Massimo Oddo has spoken of his disbelief at being left out of the Euro 2008 squad. “I didn’t expect it,” said the Milan man.
The full-back has been a regular in the Giro Azzurro since the appointment of Roberto Donadoni in 2006, but the latter omitted him from his 24-man preliminary party earlier this week.
“It’s an exclusion that burns me and I sincerely didn’t expect it,” noted the former Verona and Lazio man.
“Two years of my total disposal, sacrifices and acceptance of responsibility have been trampled on in the space of a few weeks.”
Donadoni seemed to defend his decision to ignore Oddo by focusing on the recent knee meniscus surgery that they player underwent, but the World Cup winner insists that was irrelevant.
“I would have reached a more than satisfying level of fitness two weeks before the tournament kicked off,” he added.
“In all honesty, the minimum I would have expected was to have my physical condition verified – if Donadoni’s consideration and faith in me hadn’t changed that is.”
Italy will travel to Euro 2008 with two right-backs in the form of Roma’s Christian Panucci and Gianluca Zambrotta of Barcelona.

To be honest this again is a good thing, they can both rest a prepare themselfs for the next season AND they most likely have the urge to prove Donadoni wrong. In Oddo's case this kick in the bum could just be what he needs.
however this also implies that 2 players aren't to fond of Donadoni who fits the profile for a coach the management wants but Milan is all about peace and quiet in the dressing room (cf cosmin contra) so this could jeopardise Dona's arrival in the near future. (Allthough I don't think carlo will leave anytime soon)

I wonder why Oddo said that... he hasnt played for about 10 matches, what was he expecting...

and yes, I am very upset that Inzaghi didnt get called-up, stupid move, cuz tbh, with the team Italy NT has, Inzaghi could be fatal both in the air, and when he gets the ball.

I wouldnt pick Oddo to play for the team of by block!! I dont understand how some people can be so subbjective. Zambrotta and Panucci can play on the right. And Zambrotta, Grosso and Chielinni on the left, there is absolutely no place for Oddo in Italia.

Pippo on the other hand simply needs to be in a serious turnament like this. Toni, Del Piero, Di natale and Inzaghi would be my choices for attack. I dont know what Donadoni is doing...

Channel four
Fiorentina star Riccardo Montolivo has confessed that he fears he will be dropped from Roberto Donadoni’s final Italy squad for Euro 2008.

Don selected 24 men in his provisional squad and must axe one ahead of Thursday’s midday deadline for submission of the final 23.

Montolivo excelled for the Viola this term, but his selection for the Azzurri’s training camp at Coverciano was by no means assured and he could be the man to miss out.

“I have to keep on training and showing a great desire to do well,” Montolivo stressed. “Then hopefully the Coach will take me to the European Championship."

There had been a chance that Roma's Simone Perrotta may be the fall guy after he sustained a calf injury in the Coppa Italia Final, but the talented midfielder has been given the all-clear.

“We will just have to see what happens. I am really happy to have been included in this great group of players and it’s a huge reward for my good season.

“I just hope that I can stay here, but I know that it will be tough and I could miss out. If I don’t get the nod then I will watch the games on TV.”

Italy begin their Euro 2008 campaign against Holland in Berne on June 9.

Originally Posted by Koeke

not only inzaghi got cut from the squad but also Oddo

Oddo is deserved to not being called for Euro 2008. look at his performances with us. so i am confusing what he is moaning for ? but Pippo is debateable. he was on fire when hes back from his injury but Donadoni isnt called him. but i think Donadoni is right Pippo is lately became an injury prone. and Euro 2008 is hard for someone at Pippo's age who is often get some injuries. so i choose the best for Milan and Pippo and of course for Italy. even i still disagree with Donadoni if he isnt called for Pippo then why he called Cassano over Tommaso Rocchi ? yes Cassano is talented but y'all know what i am concerning about

one thing.. i havent checked yet who is the player being dropped before Italy goes to Euro 2008, but i think its gonna be Perotta over Montolivo or Aquilani. Perotta got an injury when he played for Roma at final Coppa Italia against Merda. even though he was the hero for Roma to won that cup. he scored 2 goal for Roma. what a cost for Perotta. poor him. he deserves to go to Austria-Swiss.

chanel four
Fiorentina midfielder Riccardo Montolivo will be the man to miss out on Euro 2008 after he was cut from Roberto Donadoni’s final list.

The 24-man provisional Azzurri squad have been training at Coverciano knowing that one would be left behind in Italy as a stand-by.

The decision had to be made by midday tomorrow, but it seems that Donadoni’s mind is made up.

Montolivo was always amongst the favourites for that unenviable role, but his chances of making the trip were given a boost when Roma midfielder Simone Perrotta picked up a calf injury in the Coppa Italia Final.

However, Perrotta is now 100 per cent fit and the wealth of midfield options has convinced Don that Montolivo is surplus to requirements.

While the 23-year-old will be severely disappointed at missing the cut, he looks likely to be given a place in Pierluigi Casiraghi’s squad for the Olympics by way of consolation.

In the event of an injury in the Azzurri ranks, Montolivo will be flown in to fill the gap.

This friday a friendly game takes place between the worldchampions in order to prepare themselfs for the upcoming EC and Belgium.
Both teams will wear a black arm ribbon to honer striker Francois Sterchele the 26 year old red devil (name for the Belgian national players) that died in a car crash recently. He was partly Italian and proud to be Rossoneri. He liked Luca Toni very much and copyed his gesture whenever he scored. The goalgetter who played for Club Brugge was really looking forward to the confrontation Italy and Luca Toni in particular. Daniel Van Buyten Toni's teammate with Bayeren arranged a meeting between the two but destiny decided otherwise I guess. Toni allready offred his shirt to Sterchelle's family.

so sad for montolivo. however as personal, i'll choose him over aquilani to play in austria&switzerland

Let the PO PO POOOOOOOOOOOOO start again.
Can't wait for it.

We'll just choke it or win it. We have no mild endings.

poor Montolivo. i read once about his fear being dropped from Euro 2008 squad. and it became true. sadly but he's young as long as he keeps performing well World Cup 2010 isn't impossible. and i am glad Perotta or Aquilani isn't the one being dropped from the squad.

Aquilani gives long range shoots options which may be crucial to solve too close games.

Friendly game Italy-Belgium kick of today, 20.50u
Referee: Atkinson (Eng)
Franchi-stadion in Firenze

propable line ups:
Italy: Buffon, Zambrotta, Materazzi,
Cannavaro, Panucci, Gattuso, Pirlo, Di
Natale, Ambrosini, Camoranesi, Toni

Belgium: Stijnen, Pocognoli, Vertonghen,
Kompany, Hoefkens, Simons, Mudingayi,
Fellaini, Witsel, Defour, Dembele

bench: Renard, De Man, Gillet, Huyse-
gems, Mirallas, Sonck, Swerts, Mulemo,
De Roover

May I add Belgium has a very young team and lots of scouts will be in Florence to monitor them. There will be a moment to honor the death of Francois Sterchele, of who Bram and I allready reported. 2 other players have Italian blood aswell young LB Pocognoli (he declared to be Rossoneri in todays newspaper) and Goalie Stijnen are partly Italian.

Italy won the match against Belgium 3-1 and Di Natale scored 2 goals. one again is came from Camoranesi. the opening goal was coming from Di Natale who right-footed the ball past Stijnen on a cross by Pirlo from the right wing. second was also came from Di Natale when he put the ball in to the net after received the ball from Aquilani (i knew it this person will do many things for Italy, i always like him. i wish he plays for Milan). and the goal from Camoranesi just compeleted the day for Italy when he received a nice pass from Del Piero and make the powerful low shot to beat Stijnen. the only consolation goal for Belgium was came in injury time and the person who did it was Sonck. he headed in a corner.

the highlight:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dC2fFhyRoo

A boring match ... Belgium is far to be the team they were some years ago, that's sad for them (where are the "red devils" ?! Nowadays ... only in Manchester).

I'm afraid about something with that team: if Toni gets an injury, who will replace him ?
Borriello: far to be at Toni's level
Del Piero: not the same characteristics
Cassano: like Del Piero

The only one who could have been a very good replacement (and a joker for the last 15 minutes of each important match) was Inzaghi ...

I'm also not very confident about the defense ... only time will say if I have reasons to be afraid or if it's like before each competition (each time, I'm afraid about something lol, this year it's about Toni/defense + Donadoni, I've never had faith in him).