Totti in, Del Piero out
Marcello Lippi is believed to have decided on who will start for Italy against Ghana and it’s not good news for Alessandro Del Piero.
Despite proclaiming himself as being 100 per cent fit, the Juventus captain is set to lose out to Francesco Totti – a man who has openly admitted that he is perhaps only playing at 70 per cent to his full potential.
Lippi, as Football Italia understands, will risk playing with Totti behind an attacking duo of Alberto Gilardino and Luca Toni.
The tactician is set to keep faith with his 4-3-1-2 system, built around Totti, in an effort to get the Azzurri’s campaign off with a victory on Monday night.
Juventus ‘keeper Gigi Buffon will start in goal in front of a back four consisting of Cristian Zaccardo, Fabio Cannavaro, Alessandro Nesta and Fabio Grosso.
Zaccardo has seemingly got the nod ahead of the more attacking Massimo Oddo, while Nesta has been declared fit even if Gianluca Zambrotta misses out.
Andrea Pirlo will be asked to conduct things in the middle, while being flanked by Mauro Camoranesi and Daniele De Rossi. The latter steps in for the injured Gennaro Gattuso.
Italy (probable): Buffon; Zaccardo, Nesta, Cannavaro, Grosso; Camoranesi, Pirlo, De Rossi; Totti; Gilardino, Toni
channel4.com