ITALY coach Arrigo Sacchi last night risked a Vesuvius style eruption after two goal Pierluigi Casiraghi was "axed" for the Anfield clash against the Czech Republic.
Not just from the fanatics back home, but the many punters who have piled their money on Lazio marksman Casiraghi to finish as leading scorer in Euro 96.
Casiraghi was 33 to 1 before his double in the opening game against Russia but his odds came tumbling down and were further cut to 3 to 1 by Ladbrokes after one £1,500 bet.
"I'm sorry for the people who bet on me to finish top scorer in the tournament but I hope I can still end in that position," said Casiraghi, Fellow striker Gianfranco Zolais also rested while in come silver haired Fabrizio Ravanelli and Enrico Chlesa he scored on his only previous appearance against Belgium last month as the Italians seek to secure quarter final qualification.
Coach Sacchi hit back when it was suggested that people in Italy had almost fallen in love with the strikers who kick started the nation's Euro 96 campaign with a 2-1 win against Russia.
"The night before the opening game no one wanted them," said Sacchi, whose game of European Championship hokey cokey also means no place for Alessandro Del Piero.
"I've taken criticism from everybody people contested the fact that I didn't bring here famous players from other famous clubs. But believe leaving out Zola and Casiraghi is in the interests of the team and the two players."
