Italy boss Cesare Prandelli will be keen to welcome back Andrea Barzagli into the mix after the Juventus defender missed the first two games of the tournament.
|Last Updated: Jun 18, 2012, 09:57 AM IST|Source: Bureau
Poznan: Italy boss Cesare Prandelli will be keen to welcome back Andrea Barzagli into the mix after the Juventus defender missed the first two games of the tournament with a thigh injury. Prandelli will likely revert back to a four-man defence, should the centre-back pass a late fitness test.
Standings» I Fixtures & Results» I Pic Gallery»
Mario Balotelli limped out of Saturday`s training session with a knee problem and will undergo further tests to determine the extent of his injury. If the Manchester City man is not passed fit then Antonio Di Natale will likely be given the nod up front alongside Antonio Cassano.
Meanwhile, Ireland have already been eliminated from the tournament following their sorry showing in the 4-0 loss to Spain on Thursday and will have only pride to play for.
Goalkeeper Shay Given could make his final appearance for the Boys in Green on Monday after admitting that he is contemplating retirement from international football.
Stats
• Italy are undefeated in 12 competitive matches under Cesare Prandelli (W8 D4).
• The Azzurri have held leads in their opening two Euro 2012 encounters only to concede in the second half of both games.
• Maggio, Balotelli, Chiellini, Bonucci, and Montolivo are all one booking away from a ban.
• La Nazionale have only lost twice to the Irish in their last 11 matches (W7 D2 L2).
• Ireland have been outscored 7-1 in their first two games of the tournament.
• Damien Duff is set to make his 100 appearance for the national team on Monday in Poznan.
• Trapattoni previously coached Italy at Euro 2004 where his team was knocked out in the group stage despite not losing a game (W1 D2).
• James McClean made his competitive debut for the Boys in Green when he came off the bench in the 76th minute against Spain.
Goal.com
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.