Euro Cup 2012: Team Profile :Italy (Know the Participating Team; Italy

There is less than 12 hours to begin the world’s one of the most exciting tournament euro Cup 2012 where all 16 qualified European giants will fight for the cup.

www.anantasports.com is bringing the profiles of all the participating team to its readers and here it is Italy. Italy is taking part in the tournaments under the guidance of Coach Ceasare Prandelli. Ceasare Prandelli’s side has perfect campaign as they cruised through Group C unbeaten and secured qualification with two games to spare.

Serbia had been expected to cause problems - and they did, but sadly only really off the field, as crowd trouble in Genoa led to Italy being awarded a 3-0 victory which undeniably played a key role in their smooth passage through the group.

However, the opening round win over Estonia in what was Cesare Prandelli’s first game in charge was also pivotal in building momentum, with Italy coming from behind to win 2-1 in Tallinn courtesy of goals from Antonio Cassano and Leonardo Bonucci.

Italy never really looked back thereafter. They won six of their next seven games (if one includes the abandoned Serbia clash), only dropping points against Northern Ireland in Belfast.

 Italy is one of the strongest team in the football but now they have been passing through match fixing controversy in Italian Serie A and hope they want this tournament to bring joy of match fixing Nightmare.

Italian Team for Euro 2012

Italy featured in just one of the first five European Championships but their sole appearance in the finals during that spell, in 1968, resulted in what remains their sole tournament success.

Home advantage proved helpful but Italy only managed to scrape by the Soviet Union on a coin toss, while they needed a late leveller from Angelo Domenghini in the final against Yugoslavia to force a replay which they edged thanks to first-half goals from Luigi Riva and Pietro Anastasi.

Italy’s record in the event since has been poor but they should, of course, have claimed a second title in 2000 but were left crestfallen after a final showdown with then world champions France in which they conceded a 94th-minute equaliser to Sylvain Wiltord in normal time before then succumbing David Trezeguet’s golden goal.

The Azzurri are four-time World Cup winners - only Brazil can better that record and that shows the team can’t be ignored in any of the football tournaments.

Coach: Cesare Prandelli

After five successful years with Fiorentina, Cesare Prandelli agreed a deal to replace Marcello Lippi shortly before Italy's disastrous display at the 2010 World Cup. Prandelli quickly recalled Antonio Cassano, and has also put his faith in younger players such as Riccardo Montolivo and Sebastian Giovinco.

He has been credited with improving the atmosphere within the Italian camp, and adopting a less confrontational approach with the media, who had lambasted the team's performance in South Africa.

He laughed off defeat to the Ivory Coast in his first game, pointing out that Lippi also lost his opener yet was a World Cup winner two years later. His positive demeanour saw journalists dub Prandelli's side L'Italia del Sorriso - Italy of smiles.

Italian Coach Cesare Prandelli

Captain Gianluigi Buffon

Gianluigi Buffon is everything a captain should be: brave, strong, dependable and inspirational. When his country needs him, the veteran goalkeeper usually steps up to the mark.

In the 2006 World Cup final he produced a terrific save to keep out an extra-time header from Zinedine Zidane shortly before the Frenchman's dismissal, while two years later at the European Championships, Buffon stopped a potential game-winning penalty from Romania’s Adrian Mutu which ultimately enabled Italy to progress to the knockout stages.

Given his propensity for coming to his country’s rescue, Buffon was the obvious choice to succeed Fabio Cannavaro as Italy captain after the 2010 World Cup.

There had been a fear that recent injury problems might begin to take their toll on the Juventus veteran but such concern has been dispelled by his fine form this season.

Captain Gianluigi Buffon

Player to Watch Antonio Cassano

Ignored by Marcello Lippi, temperamental forward Antonio Cassano has flourished under current Azzurri coach Cesare Prandelli.

Since joining AC Milan he has contributed more assists than goals, but he was prolific in qualifying, netting six times.

Cassano's dreams of playing in a third European Championship looked in doubt after he suffered a transient ischaemic attack - something often described as a "mini-stroke" - on the flight back from Milan's game away to Roma in October. He was barely able to speak or move, and admits he feared for his life.

A few days he later he underwent surgery to close a small opening in his heart. He was able return to light training in January, and made his first-team comeback in April.

Antanio Cassano

Mario Balotelli courts controversy like perhaps no other player in the game today. Consequently, it is very easy to forget that this is a very special footballing talent - and one that has suddenly become very important to Italy with Giuseppe Rossi missing out through injury.

Powerfully built, Balotelli is an explosive striker capable of brute force but there is also a subtlety and finesse to his game, as evidenced by his wonderfully precise finish in this season’s Manchester derby at Old Trafford. 

Mario Balotelli

How Italy Qualified for Euro 2012:

Italy top the Group C with 26 points ahead of Estonia Serbia and Slovenia to secure their position in Poland and Ukraine.

GROUP C	GP	W	D	L	GD	PTS
1	Italy (Q)	10	8	2	0	18	26
2	Estonia	10	5	1	4	1	16
3	Serbia	10	4	3	3	1	15
4	Slovenia	10	4	2	4	4	14
5	Northern Ireland	10	2	3	5	-4	9
6	Faroe Islands	10	1	1	8	-20	4

Italy Qualifying Results:
Sep 3, 2010: Estonia 1-2 Italy
Sep 7, 2010: Italy 5-0 Faroe Islands
Oct 8, 2010: Northern Ireland 0-0 Italy
Oct 12, 2010: Italy 3-0 Serbia( Match Abondoned)
Mar 25, 2011: Slovenia 0-1 Italy
Jun 3, 2011: Italy 3-0 Estonia
Jun 7, 2011: Faroe Islands 0-1 Italy
Sep 6, 2011: Italy 1-0 Slovenia
Oct 7, 2011: Serbia 1-1 Italy
Oct 11, 2011: Italy 3-0 Northern Ireland

Jersy:

Brand: Puma
Home Jersey: Blue with white collar
Away Jersey: White with broad blue stripe across the chest

Italy Home and Away Jersy

Italy Squad For Euro 2012:

Coach: Cesare Prandelli

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Salvatore Sirigu (Paris Saint-Germain), Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli)

Defenders: Cristian Maggio (Napoli), Ignazio Abate (AC Milan), Federico Balzaretti (Palermo), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Andrea Barzagli (Juventus), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Angelo Ogbonna (Torino)

Midfielders: Andrea Pirlo (Juventus), Claudio Marchisio (Juventus), Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus), Daniele De Rossi (Roma), Thiago Motta (Paris Saint-Germain), Antonio Nocerino (AC Milan), Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina), Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna)

Strikers: Antonio Cassano (AC Milan), Mario Balotelli (Manchester City), Sebastian Giovinco (Parma), Antonio Di Natale (Udinese), Fabio Borini (Roma)

Style of play: Cesare Prandelli has turned Italy into more of an attacking side that fights to hold onto the ball since he took over as coach in the aftermath of the 2010 World Cup. The Italian manager uses a 4-3-1-2 formation, with Andrea Pirlo serving as a deep-lying playmaker in the centre of the midfield trio. It's through him that Italy moves forward using a series of quick passes and off-the-ball movement. Up top, Antonio Cassano will play just behind fellow striker Mario Balotelli, with Thiago Motta operating in the hole just behind the pair in a supporting role.