I have to question why they chose Florence as the venue seeing that the tifosi in the this city show absolutely no support to the national team
Makes me scratch my head wondering
Makes me scratch my head wondering
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Italy V Germany (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter sateeh
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International Friendly Preview: Italy-Germany
Without a win against a so-called “traditional power” for six years, Germany visit Italy in Florence with even coach Jürgen Klinsmann demanding victory.
BACKGROUND
Having long since kept up the pretence – with some justification – that results were not the be-all and end-all for his embryonic squad, Klinsmann knows that with the World Cup just 100 days away, Germany need to start imposing themselves against top opposition – and seeing the fruits of their labour.
However, Klinsmann’s plans have been disrupted by his eccentric treatment of defender Christian Wörns – dropped from his World Cup plans via answer phone last week. The resulting storm saw skipper Michael Ballack publicly question the Bundestrainer’s methods before accepting Klinsmann’s version of events. The coach claimed that Wörns’s public criticisms of Klinsmann’s squad selection since October were “disrespectful” and left him with little scope to continue a working relationship. Yet, Klinsmann had ample opportunity to rid himself of the Borussia Dortmund player long before last October. Stringing him along over the winter was misguided when it was plain to all that the 66-capped veteran was now past it at international level. Avoiding the personal contact of the telephone was gutless and gave the player the moral high ground.
The truth is that the coach could have shafted Wörns for his comments six months ago. He could have shafted him on grounds of playing incompetence. Instead, he chose to do so on what had become spurious grounds when he finally got around to cutting the dead wood from his squad.
Italy , meanwhile, are braced for the loss of playmaker Francesco Totti for a period that could well include this summer’s jamboree. Coach Marcello Lippi may plan for this possibility by tweaking his formation and playing three strikers instead of the usual two.
TEAM NEWS
Gennaro Gatusso is out having picked up a knock during Milan’s win over Palermo at the weekend and is likely to be replaced by Daniele de Rossi of Roma. Prolific club strikers Luca Toni and Alberto Gilardino could start up front with Juventus icon Alessandro Del Piero likely to flit between the frontline and midfield.
Germany must make do without first-choice goalkeeper Oliver Kahn who continues to recuperate from a thigh injury. Jens Lehmann gets a start in his place, but it is becoming increasingly more difficult for the Arsenal man to replace the Bayern stalwart with Kahn in imperious club form. A big display in Florence could open the door once more.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Italy: Gianluigi Buffon; Massimo Oddo, Alessandro Nesta, Fabio Cannavaro, Fabio Grosso; Mauro Camoranesi, Andrea Pirlo, Daniele De Rossi; Alberto Gilardino, Luca Toni, Alessandro Del Piero.
Germany: Jens Lehmann; Arne Friedrich, Philipp Lahm, Per Mertesacker, Robert Huth; Michael Ballack, Torsten Frings, Sebastian Deisler, Bernd Schneider; Miroslav Klose, Lukas Podolski.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Gianluigi Buffon (Italy)
While Klinsmann mulls over his self-inflicted goalkeeping conundrum, Lippi guarantees Buffon the number one shirt – and rightly so. If the last World Cup was Kahn’s, 2006 could be Buffon’s.
Lukas Podolski (Germany)
Unless he’s saving himself for the summer, Lukas Podolski’s recent form has been worrying. Köln look doomed and their young star looks exasperated. Perhaps the red shirt of Germany (yes, Klinsmann insists on that crass motif of his supposed new era for this game) can inspire him.
PREDICTION
Italy to shade it against a team and a coach for whom only the World Cup will pass final judgement.
Without a win against a so-called “traditional power” for six years, Germany visit Italy in Florence with even coach Jürgen Klinsmann demanding victory.
BACKGROUND
Having long since kept up the pretence – with some justification – that results were not the be-all and end-all for his embryonic squad, Klinsmann knows that with the World Cup just 100 days away, Germany need to start imposing themselves against top opposition – and seeing the fruits of their labour.
However, Klinsmann’s plans have been disrupted by his eccentric treatment of defender Christian Wörns – dropped from his World Cup plans via answer phone last week. The resulting storm saw skipper Michael Ballack publicly question the Bundestrainer’s methods before accepting Klinsmann’s version of events. The coach claimed that Wörns’s public criticisms of Klinsmann’s squad selection since October were “disrespectful” and left him with little scope to continue a working relationship. Yet, Klinsmann had ample opportunity to rid himself of the Borussia Dortmund player long before last October. Stringing him along over the winter was misguided when it was plain to all that the 66-capped veteran was now past it at international level. Avoiding the personal contact of the telephone was gutless and gave the player the moral high ground.
The truth is that the coach could have shafted Wörns for his comments six months ago. He could have shafted him on grounds of playing incompetence. Instead, he chose to do so on what had become spurious grounds when he finally got around to cutting the dead wood from his squad.
Italy , meanwhile, are braced for the loss of playmaker Francesco Totti for a period that could well include this summer’s jamboree. Coach Marcello Lippi may plan for this possibility by tweaking his formation and playing three strikers instead of the usual two.
TEAM NEWS
Gennaro Gatusso is out having picked up a knock during Milan’s win over Palermo at the weekend and is likely to be replaced by Daniele de Rossi of Roma. Prolific club strikers Luca Toni and Alberto Gilardino could start up front with Juventus icon Alessandro Del Piero likely to flit between the frontline and midfield.
Germany must make do without first-choice goalkeeper Oliver Kahn who continues to recuperate from a thigh injury. Jens Lehmann gets a start in his place, but it is becoming increasingly more difficult for the Arsenal man to replace the Bayern stalwart with Kahn in imperious club form. A big display in Florence could open the door once more.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Italy: Gianluigi Buffon; Massimo Oddo, Alessandro Nesta, Fabio Cannavaro, Fabio Grosso; Mauro Camoranesi, Andrea Pirlo, Daniele De Rossi; Alberto Gilardino, Luca Toni, Alessandro Del Piero.
Germany: Jens Lehmann; Arne Friedrich, Philipp Lahm, Per Mertesacker, Robert Huth; Michael Ballack, Torsten Frings, Sebastian Deisler, Bernd Schneider; Miroslav Klose, Lukas Podolski.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Gianluigi Buffon (Italy)
While Klinsmann mulls over his self-inflicted goalkeeping conundrum, Lippi guarantees Buffon the number one shirt – and rightly so. If the last World Cup was Kahn’s, 2006 could be Buffon’s.
Lukas Podolski (Germany)
Unless he’s saving himself for the summer, Lukas Podolski’s recent form has been worrying. Köln look doomed and their young star looks exasperated. Perhaps the red shirt of Germany (yes, Klinsmann insists on that crass motif of his supposed new era for this game) can inspire him.
PREDICTION
Italy to shade it against a team and a coach for whom only the World Cup will pass final judgement.
The German squad will most likely look like this:
Lehmann - Friedrich, Metzelder, Mertesacker, Lahm - Frings, Deisler, Schneider, Ballack - Klose, Asamoah.
Personally, I'd prefer this lineup:
Lehmann - Owomoyela, Friedrich, Mertesacker, Lahm - Frings, Schneider, Borowski, Ballack - Klose, Podolski.
But Klinsmann is shite. Quite obviously the perfomances in the league don't play any role at all when he's creating his starting 11. Players like Wörns, Kehl and Fahrenhorst are not even on the bench...
Lehmann - Friedrich, Metzelder, Mertesacker, Lahm - Frings, Deisler, Schneider, Ballack - Klose, Asamoah.
Personally, I'd prefer this lineup:
Lehmann - Owomoyela, Friedrich, Mertesacker, Lahm - Frings, Schneider, Borowski, Ballack - Klose, Podolski.
But Klinsmann is shite. Quite obviously the perfomances in the league don't play any role at all when he's creating his starting 11. Players like Wörns, Kehl and Fahrenhorst are not even on the bench...
Well, the rivalry between Fiorentina and Juve started when we coveted Baggio from Florence during his rise to glory.
As for Florence's love for the Azzurri, I think it started when Sacchi was in charge of the national team and he did something to anger the Florence fans by some unjust treatment if I'm not mistaken...
As for Florence's love for the Azzurri, I think it started when Sacchi was in charge of the national team and he did something to anger the Florence fans by some unjust treatment if I'm not mistaken...
have not tested yet but read this post for a stream
http://forum.freefootball.org/viewtopic.php?t=2620&sid=0e4259b66d0c30e7a57f49b0720f66b0
http://forum.freefootball.org/viewtopic.php?t=2620&sid=0e4259b66d0c30e7a57f49b0720f66b0
