Tag Archives: Italian

Gunners eye Italian Job

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Wednesday’s football highlight is undoubtedly Arsenal’s trip to AC Milan in the Champions League as Arsene Wenger puts aside the Gunners’ Premier League top-four chase and instead focuses on his quest for European glory (Arsenal 20/1 – Champions League Outright).

The north Londoners may have returned to fourth spot after a dramatic win at Sunderland last time out, but with the top three of Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham almost home and dry, the pressure will be on Arsenal right up until the end of the season.

The 2005/06 finalists travel to Milan for the first leg of the last-16 tie and Wales star Aaron Ramsey certainly believes attack is the best form of defence against the current Serie A leaders, who have shipped just five goals domestically in the San Siro this term.

The midfielder wants the Gunners to go for the jugular although it could be argued his view is one seen through rose-tinted spectacles.

Ramsey told Arsenal’s website: “If we can go there and get a few goals and then come back to the Emirates then that’s going to be a fantastic result for us.

“Hopefully, we can get a couple of goals and keep them out as well.”

True, Arsenal do have a 100% winning record from two European trips to the San Siro but it must be remembered the last time they went there was four years ago and much has changed at the Emirates since then.

In 2008, Wenger’s side managed a 2-0 win thanks to goals in the last eight minutes and the same scoreline this time around is an 11/1 shot.

Milan used to enjoy a commanding record against British clubs on home soil but that has changed over recent seasons, although they could well restore their reputation this year against a leaky Arsenal defence.

The one fear hanging over them must be Thierry Henry who returns to MLS after this game following a loan spell and the Frenchman is – along with captain Robin van Persie – a tasty 13/2 to score the last goal.

Serving as a palatable starter to the main course in Milan is the night’s other Champions League game on Wednesday between rank outsiders Zenit St Petersburg (80/1 – Outright) and Benfica (50/1), which is an early kick-off at the Stadion Petrovskiy.

Neither the Russians nor the Portuguese outfit are expected to be crowned the Kings of Europe but one must make the quarter-finals.

Zenit eliminated another Portuguese side in their last European game after a goalless draw at Porto, although they did ride their luck at times.

However, the cold of a Russian winter might not appeal to Benfica on the night and they will be happy to return to Portugal still in touch with the 2008 UEFA Cup and UEFA Super Cup winners so the 6/5 about a home win looks too inviting a price to miss out on.

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Lippi points to Italian charisma

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Italy coach Marcello Lippi insists he has no problem with pundits dismissing his side ahead of the World Cup (Italy 2/5 to win Group F).

The Italians are seventh-favourites going into the tournament, but that doesn’t worry the 62-year-old.

“Italy has never been amongst the favourites, I don’t remember a World Cup where we’ve been favourites,” Lippi said. “The favourites are rightly Brazil and Spain, but you also have to add other strong teams to the mix.”

“I’ve said it many times before, there’s Brazil, Spain and then five or six other teams, such as England, Holland, Germany, Italy and France, that don’t go just to do well, they go to win and want to win,”  he added.

“Sometimes they manage it and we’ve won it four times. But a World Cup is special, it’s not always technical ability that decides who wins, there are other things,” he added.

The World Cup-winning coach insisted that the Italy team are not an aged and creaking side, as some pundits believe.

“We’re not the oldest team here, there are three or four teams that are older than us,” said the coach.

“We’ve got a good mix, we have nine players from 2006, that’s less than 50 percent,” he said. “But I’ve never seen another team that’s won the last World Cup to turn up with 23 different players the next time. We’ve got old players but age doesn’t mean broken down, it means experience, charisma.”

Lippi also defended his decision to keep AC Milan midfielder Andrea Pirlo in his 23-man squad despite the fact he is suffering from a calf strain.

Pirlo will not be fit before Italy’s third group game but despite bringing along a 24th player, in Cagliari’s Andrea Cossu, Lippi is unwilling to let his playmaker go.

“He’s here because the team doctors said he will be ready by the third game,” said Lippi.

“Over the last few days I have been recovering and I feel less pain,” Pirlo told Gazzetta dello Sport.

“The situation is encouraging as the lesion has started to heal. I have faith, even though the return will be defined step by step.”

Meanwhile, Mauro Camoranesi resumed training on Thursday for the first time since his knee injury.

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