FRANCE 98 – General Media News Template
Italy’s injury-hit team face their final check-up before the World Cup finals against Sweden here on Tuesday night. And the patient is in a sorry state. Coach Cesare Maldini started 1998 with his World Cup hopes pinned on a trio of Juventus stars-Ciro Ferrara, the best central defender in Italy, Angelo Peruzzi, the best goalkeeper in Italy and Alessandro Del Piero, the country’s most profilic goalscorer. However, Ferrara quit the squad when he broke his leg on February 1, Peruzzi has been forced out by Sunday’s leg muscle injury and Del Piero is still nursing a thigh injury.
Del Piero remains hopeful, but there is no chance of him playing in Sweden and he is still not certain even to go to France, let alone recover in time for Italy’s World Cup opener against Chile on June 11. The latest setback will mean promotion for Inter Milan’s Gianluca Pagliuca, who made a slice of World Cup history at USA ‘94 when he became the first goalkeeper ever to be sent off in the finals. “I know what Angelo is going through at the moment, so I’ve no appetite for celebrating,” Pagliuca said.
“I know I should be happy for myself, because it gives me the chance to set the record straight after Pasadena,” he said of the ill-fated final of USA ‘94. “But right now, my thoughts are with a friend who is suffering.”
The Inter hero will complete what should be the starting line-up not just for this match against Sweden, but also the opener against Chile. Standing in front of him in Gothenberg will be Alessandro Costacurta (libero) and a defensive line featuring skipper Paolo Maldini, Fabio Cannavaro and Alessandro Nesta.
No surprises in midfield-Dino Baggio, provided he passes a routine fitness test as expected, Angelo Di Livio, Chelsea’s Roberto Di Matteo and Demtrio Albertini will all start.
The experiments are all in attack, where Roberto Baggio and Christian Vieri will play alongside each other in a real match for the first time. Baggio, who missed part of Saturday’s training session after his back took a knock, was in inspired form during Sunday’s kick-about. But Peruzzi’s injury was a salutary reminder for him, and the rest of the squad, that nothing can be taken for granted in the weeks ahead. “It just goes to show that in football today, even if you train properly, you’ve no protection against injury,” Baggio said. “It’s a blow for him and for the whole national team.” The truth of it is that, as athletes, we are always hanging by a thread. You work hard, you train every day and you have to suffer to reach peak condition and then something happens to ruin everything.” Coach Maldini will meanwhile be hoping that the Swedes, who recently trounced Denmark 3-0, do not ruin Italy’s run-up to the World Cup. Already preoccupied by the injury list, a defeat here on Tuesday evening, and the resulting drop in morale, is the last thing Maldini’s men need before they head off for France ‘98.