GROUP EIGHT ITALY V CYPRUS:WORLD CUP holders Italy start the defence of their title with a potentially awkward away tie against little Cyprus in Larnaca this evening.
Irish fans probably need little reminding that Cyprus recorded one of their best competitive wins when beating Ireland 5-2 in an October 2006 qualifier for Euro 2008. The Cypriots also picked up a 3-1 home win against Wales as well as a prestigious 1-1 home draw against Euro 2008 finalists Germany in the same group.
Italian coach Marcello Lippi, who led Italy to victory in Germany two years ago and who was recalled to replace Roberto Donadoni after Italy's quarter-final elimination at Euro 2008, is not a coach inclined to take any side lightly, even one ranked 65th in Fifa's classification.
With the recent impressive Cypriot home record in mind, he warned his players.
"Facts, not words, count. We simply cannot afford to underestimate our opponent in this context. Mind you, these are mistakes that intelligent people don't make and this is a very mature group," said Lippi yesterday morning from the Italian training camp at Coverciano, Florence, prior to leaving for Cyprus.
"It's true that the name of Cyprus doesn't set the mind racing. On top of that, we'll be playing in a stadium that is hardly the Olympic Stadium (Rome) or the Maracana (Rio Del Janeiro). There won't be many spectators and there is hardly any grass on the pitch, but we want our first three points, the defence of our title starts here."
An indication of the respect shown by Lippi to Cyprus can be gained from his likely formation, which will look very similar to the team with which he won the World Cup. In an attacking line-up, Bayern Munich striker Luca Toni is likely to be flanked by Fiorentina's Alberto Gilardino, with Italo-Argentine Mauro Camoranesi on the right and Antonio Di Natale on the left adding pace down the flanks.
Familiar figures such as Andrea Pirlo and Daniele De Rossi will run midfield, while Real Madrid defender Fabio Cannavaro, who missed the Euro 2008 finals because of a last-minute injury, makes a welcome return to the centre defence, probably in partnership with Andrea Barzagli.
ITALY (probable):Buffon; Zambrotta, Barzagli, Cannavaro, Grosso; Camoranesi, De Rossi, Pirlo, Di Natale; Gilardino, Toni.
CYPRUS (probable):Georgallides; Yarpozis, Charalambous, Christou, Constantinou; Michael, Okkarides, Charalambides, Makrides; Aloneftis, Okkas.
