bluejock
Boss coat aficionado
Manager - Cesare Prandelli
Squad
Goalkeepers - Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Morgan De Sanctis (SSC Napoli), Salvatore Sirigu (Paris Saint-Germain FC)
Defenders - Ignazio Abate (AC Milan), Federico Balzaretti (US Città di Palermo), Andrea Barzagli (Juventus), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Christian Maggio (SSC Napoli), Angelo Ogbonna (Torino FC)
Midfielders - Daniele De Rossi (AS Roma), Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna FC), Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus) Claudio Marchisio (Juventus), Riccardo Montolivo (ACF Fiorentina), Thiago Motta (Paris Saint-Germain FC), Antonio Nocerino (AC Milan), Andrea Pirlo (Juventus)
Forwards - Mario Balotelli (Manchester City FC), Fabio Borini (AS Roma), Antonio Cassano (AC Milan), Antonio Di Natale (Udinese Calcio), Sebastian Giovinco (FC Parma)
Cesare Prandelli, he of the puffy jacket from when we played Fiorentina in the Europa Leage, takes his squad into the euros on the back of a relatively simple qualifying campaign, in which his side topped probably the easiest of the qualifying groups (no, Scotland weren't in it you cheeky gits) with Estonia as their closest challengers. Italy knocked in 20 goals in the campaign with Milan's Antonio Cassano netting six times.
The Italian squad is relatively experienced with only one uncapped player named in the 23. Man City's lovable honey badger-esque Mario Balotelli will lead the line alongside Cassano, Thiago Motta and Andrea Pirlo will provide the bite in midfield with Fiorentina's Riccardo Montolivo looking to supply the flair. As always, the Italian game will be based upon a strong defensive unit, with speed and width the key going forwards. Gianluigi Buffon will line up between the sticks, despite the obvious disadvantage of being 92 and having been dead for 3 years.
Jock's player to watch will be Balotelli. Love him or loath him, (I bloody love him, the crazy fecker) he has the flair and unpredictability to turn a game on it's head. If he can control his temperament, he can win games. It's a big if though, and he's just as likely to launch fireworks at racist Ukrainians as to rattle in a winner from 25 yards. Watch this space.
Prediction
This is where sh*t gets crazy. I can Actually see an implosion on the cards and now that Domenech is no longer France manager, the Azzurri are the number 1 tip to implode. The recent match fixing scandal to rock Italian football won't have helped preparations, with key defender Domenico Criscito spending his summer guarding against prison rape instead of blocking Iniesta through balls. Italy will finish 3rd in the group. Bookmark this.
my mother is italian ffs
