Despite what Eamon thinks, there’s more to La Nazionale than established stars such as Pirlo and Cassano – so we list five players to keep an eye on before the Euro 2012 finals.
By Mark Sheehan
When the draw for the Euro 2012 Finals was made, the RTE studio reaction to Italy’s inclusion in Ireland’s group bordered on jubilant.
“I think the big result for us there is Italy, we beat them, we didn’t have our best team, but we beat them last Summer in a friendly match, we played them twice in the World Cup qualifiers, we drew both games. I think Italy are a very, very, very ordinary side indeed, and I think we’ll be well capable of beating them,” said Dunphy at the time.
“He (Pirlo) was very ordinary, I saw him recently play for Milan, AC Milan, he was a wonderful player at his best, but the Italian side is poor, we saw them, we’ve seen them repeatedly, and they’re getting worse, they have like, Cassano, who’s a waste of space and he’s still in the national side, he can’t do it for his club, they have an awful lot of old players”
Ignoring the fact that Pirlo was starring in a league leading Juve at the time of those comments, Cesare Prandelli’s Italy will have more to offer next Summer than the usual household names of De Rossi, Buffon and Chiellini.
Here we look at five current Serie A players that may have Eamon eating pasta alla humble pie next year.
Sebastian Giovinco, 24, Striker, Parma – With 7 goals in 14 appearances for the Crociati so far this season, the diminutive Giovinco is effectively the top Italian international in the scoring charts given that Udinese’s 34-year old Antonio Di Natale, with 10 goals this season, is unlikely to add to his 36 caps. Giovinco’s performances this year have brought him to the attention of Chelsea with his former employer, Juventus, also linked to the second-striker.
A noted dribbler and free-taker, Giovinco has made 20 appearances for the U-21 side including being named MVP at the 2008 U-21 Toulon Tournament, 10 appearances for the 2008 Olympic side as well as 6 appearances for the full international side.
Pablo Osvaldo, 25, Striker, AS Roma – Like Mauro Camoranesi, Osvaldo is an Argentine-born player who ultimately declared for Italy. 13 goals in 24 appearances for Espanyol in the 2010/11 season brought him to the attention of Roma who paid €17.5 million for his services at the start of this season.
Playing in a Giallorossi side lacking in stability and confidence, Osvaldo has proven to be one of Luis Enrique’s better acquisitions and has struck 7 times so far this season.
Cesare Prandelli handed Osvaldo his Azzurri debut in October of this year due to injuries to Mario Balotelli and Giampaolo Pazzini. Just half-an-inch short of 6ft, Osvaldo is powerful, mobile, skilful and good in the air as well as on the ground and might stake a late claim for inclusion in Italy’s Euro squad.
Antonio Nocerino, 26, Midfielder, AC Milan – The early-season injury crisis at Milan ensured Antonio Nocerino played every game for the Rossoneri this season until his enforced absence in November due to suspension. A hat-trick in a 4-1 win against Parma has been the highlight so far and he goes into the winter break with 6 goals in 14 appearances.
Nocerino has a distinguished under-age international career – he played for Italy’s U-20 side in the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship, for their U-21 side in the 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship and he captained their winning U-21 side in their 2008 Toulon Tournament triumph where Pablo Osvaldo scored the winning goal. Nocerino also captained the Italian Olympic squad for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
He received his first call up to Italy’s national team by Roberto Donadoni In 17 October 2007 in a friendly with South Africa and has 9 caps in total.
Claudio Marchisio, 25, Midfielder, Juventus – Often compared to Trap’s assistant and former Juve and Italy great, Marco Tardelli, Marchisio has also been called the ‘De Rossi of Turin’ due his similar combative style as well as being local born and bred.
With over 150 senior club appearances, ‘Il Principino’ has drawn high praise from coaches and ex-players alike including former Juve great Pavel Nedved.
“I’m sure Marchisio will soon be regarded as one of the best midfielders in the world,” Nedved said only this week. “He is already close to the best; he just needs a bit more experience.”
Hard-tackling, versatile and possessing a powerful shot in both feet, Marchisio is a danger if given space outside the box as evidenced by his stunning 30-yard volley against Turkey in 2008 for the Italy U-21’s.
Andrea Ranocchia, 23, Central Defender, Inter Milan – With a long and proud tradition of producing outstanding central defenders such as Franco Baresi and Fabio Cannavaro, there has been an unusual shortage of options for coach Prandelli at the heart of his national defence.
The lack of local quality was summed up by Inter President Massimo Moratti, who said after the capture of Ranocchia from Genoa for €12.5 million in 2010: “Finally an Italian!”
At 6′ 5” and still only 23, Inter’s Andrea Ranocchia also offers a threat in the opposition box as his winning goal against Cesena this month demonstrates.
Injuries have hampered his progress this season which has probably contributed to Inter’s on-field problems. The former Bari defender has so far made only six Serie A appearances for the Nerazurri this season but with 8 appearances for La Nazionale since his debut last year, he is likely to partner the experienced Chiellini in defence in Poland and Ukraine.
