The Eve of the Eve

The Azzurri return 14 members from the 2006 edition, a solid number, but more importantly, they 11 of those 14 took part in the final, 9 in the starting lineup, which is uplifting to say the least. Not all will play prominent parts, but one could comfortably say the core of this team will be made up of campioni, the highest of high praise in football.

Yet two years off a world title, this team poses more questions than it offers up answers. At this point, more than half of the starting lineup could be decided at the flip of a coin, as Donadoni has held his cards close to the vest quite well. The captain likely won’t be known until the lineups are released. The person deciding the lineup has a CV which seemingly makes him qualified to be coaching Udinese or Sampdoria, not one of two teams featuring four or more stars on their shirts. His results improved and they won the group, but those with a great deal of confidence in Donadoni are few and far between*. The reigning world champions should have qualified. They should have finished first. They should be considered favorites for this tournament. At this point, Donadoni is merely halfway to fulfilling basic expectations, because they should also perform very well over the coming weeks.

* - Does not apply to those who bleed red & black.

The squad questions? A beautiful, beautiful thing. Not every country is afforded the opportunity to decide based simply on form, tactics, intangibles or whether you play for Milan or not. It’s an embarrassment of riches, really, because the XI off the bench could probably clean up Group A.

Gigi Buffon could keep them in the tournament with Cremonese’s defense patrolling the ground before him, but he is still (partly) human, and to meet Azzurri standards he’ll need some help. And without even a hint of disrespect to Marco Amelia and Morgan De Sanctis, I hope to hell they have a permanent imprint of the pine on their arses for 3 weeks. But in the event that Gigi goes down…we’ve all seen worse. Fabio Cannavaro will be sorely missed, without question, but they’ve still got bright and shiny toys across the back line. Even though Materazzi looked like he should be rotated for a midtable squad in the Eccellenza after his injury this year, we all remember what he did on the biggest of big stages. Everyone’s worried about Cassano being baited into a red card, but nobody can bait like Marco. Even if he accidentally performs an above-the-knee amputation on a Dutch defender for his second yellow card on Monday, he could be back and ready to accept a headbutt from Franck Ribery later in the week. Talent you can come by, the ability to infuriate anyone and everyone (including the fans of your own team) isn’t as readily available.

Andrea Barzagli and The Schnoz are more than capable of manning central defense until Canna comes back and they have to start beating Fabiano Santacroce off with a stick. Barzagli doesn’t have to spend the summer angling for a move to a big club, what with Wolfsburg out of the way and all, so that’ll leave his mind on the task ahead. Zambro is always fantastic and now that he’s in Milan has surely already had the chance to take a taste from the fountain of youth residing in the red & black half of the San Siro. Panucci has been everyman for Roma this year - at least when he’s not beating up his teammates - and looks to be a homeless man’s Maldini. Gamberini probably would start for half the teams here, but will probably be resorted to Anna Karenina for this go around. Then there’s Grosso. Oh Fabio…

Getting a bit dusty in here. We’ll just say he saves his best for the Azzurri and leave it at that. (Two years later I’d still have his babies.)

In the midfield you’ve got the best mane in the game with Andrea Pirlo and, oh yeah, he can pass a ball or seven. Even if he was off form for Milan this year - or, more accurately, even if he was off form just like everyone at Milan this year - he’s still the most overwhelming reason the Azzurri are at this tournament. Where were the goals coming from without him? While Milan was too stoned to realize it was in the bottom half of the table, he was still threading balls in qualifiers. Andrea will be just fine, still giving us a reason to sit up every time the ball is on his foot. Hardly a more aesthetic player in the world.

On his side it’s more treasure. In each of the two factions, the ultra defensive unit of Milan or the more offensively-enabled group of Romans, you have one overwhelming trait: quality. Gennaro Gattuso is the type of player anyone would love to play alongside. The man was simply born in the wrong century. His place is on a 12th century battlefield, leading the troups to glory. Daniele De Rossi is the future of the Azzurri midfield, and has already staked his claim as the best midfielder in Serie A, whether he starts in Swissaustria or not. Massimo Ambrosini is probably, uh, the most “homely” guy on the team, but he can do what’s necessary (clean the kitchen, do your laundry, not meet your friends, etc.), and despite the flaws this year, that Milan midfield did win the Champions League a year ago. Simone Perrotta is a world champion, and a guy who helps team systems run. May not be the most heralded, but he is a fantastic asset to any squad, club, country or otherwise. Alberto Aquilani has been, from most accounts, fantastic in training, and a kid with superior technique. Plus he looks mopey and has a floppy stoner haircut (most of the time), so he lulls defenses into thinking he doesn’t care before unleashing missiles like Kim Jong-il.

Up top you’ve got a guy bagging goals like they’re going out of style. Luca’s ability is most often defined by his stats, but the man is a human hold button, holding the defense off while holding up the ball, allowing the attack to come join the party. Goals are great, but he’s so much more. Another late bloomer, Toto Di Natale, is angling for that big club move to Wolfsburg. Talk about motivation. The brace against Belgium will only be a small sample of the fury he’s going to bring to Swissaustria. Borriello couldn’t finish a fucking cabinet right now, but we’re glad he came along anyway. Every team needs a guy who may be sent home with a 3rd world venereal disease. At least no one can blame Chiellini for that one. (We hope, at least.)

There’s the guy who almost no one wants to play, ADP…and he’s the damn capocannoniere. Goals are goals, whether they come off a beautifully orchestrated Pirlo cross to a waiting Di Natale volley or a lumbering Materazzi on a corner, plowing through everyone like a tragic happening in Southeast Asia that would be terribly un-PC if I made light of it. Mauro Camoranesi never seems to get the credit he deserves, another huge trophy with him in the starting XI and I’m sure people will sit up and take notice (though being a little bit less grumpy may be an easier route). Cassano? The most talented player on the team, maybe at the tournament, coming off the bench? Sure, why not. Just make sure to unzip/lock the straight jacket first.

The team is stacked. Whatever XI shows up on Monday will be a great XI anyway you shake it. Donadoni has everything he needs at his disposal. The team is riddled with veterans who’ve shone on the biggest of stages, yet have future superstars like De Rossi, Chiellini and Aquilani making a serious push for a spot in the first XI. They’ve got defenders who can attack and attackers who can defend. Run of play they’ve got pacy, skilled wingers, and on set pieces they’ve got a few big brutes and the golden right foot of Andrea Pirlo. Whatever the occasion, the Azzurri can rise above.

All that’s left? The greatest question of them all: Donadoni. The contract is done. The 23 is set in stone. Most of the players are in form and the strikers are on fire. Now it’s his job to reign in the talent, mold it into a beautiful team and unleash it onto the world. Let’s hope he proves the majority wrong and shows himself to be the right man to defend the title in 2010. For now…

In Donadoni We Trust.

FORZA ITALIA