Italy secured their Euro 2012 status on Tuesday night with the easy victory over Northern Ireland and now all Italian minds are focused on the tournament itself next summer in Poland and Ukraine. After qualifying of course, the big question was always going to be just how far can this Italy side go?
Well, it firstly must be acknowledged that as long as Spain are in the tournament it is going to be a big struggle for the Azzurri to go all the way.
This Italian side are a very good side and one that has definitely come a long way in such a short campaign since the embarrassment in South Africa last year. Cesare Prandelli has certainly managed to steady the ship and more since then.
Qualification in which Italy looked promising and exciting, uncovering of new talents in the national team like Thiago Motta and Mario Balotelli and even the recalling of the now rejuvenated Antonio Cassano has shown that this Italian side mean business.
They coasted to the top of the group with wins in every game except one draw in the hostile environment of Windsor Park in Belfast, an outstanding record and one that will have fans of La Nazionale hopeful that they can put up a better showing this time than they did last summer. This is a different squad though.
Old faces such as the ‘Alessandros’ Del Piero and Nesta are out to be replaced with players like Leo Bonucci, Andrea Rannochia, Giuseppe Rossi, Mario Balotelli and a return from the international wilderness for Cassano. Even main midfield man Andrea Pirlo, who has had a sublime start to his Juventus career, is no longer assured of a starting place in the team.
Are these players good enough to win the tournament though? They are still a young team and of the 24 man group of players who have been part of the squad under Prandelli, only eight of the players have earned more than 20 caps. There is a certain amount of experience lacking in the squad then but if the team carry on the form that they have shown in the run-up to the Finals then they will fancy their chances of picking up results against much of the big boys.
The main threat to the rest of the competition is, obviously, going to be the reigning champions and best team in the world Spain. They have lost just three games of their last 40 in competitive football and are a runaway train that is tough to halt at the moment. They have been irresistible in qualifying and it is hard to look past them to retain their crown once more as nobody has even come close to challenging the World Cup winners since perhaps Switzerland when they defeated the Spaniards in the opening round of the World Cup.
If the two sides are drawn together though Italy can take solace in the fact that it was they who pushed Spain all the way in the nation’s quarter-finals meeting at Euro 2008 and were unlucky only to lose out on penalties.
Outside of the Spaniards though Italy will fancy their chances of going all the way to the final. Although there are other dangerous teams like the Netherlands who are a major threat with the likes of Rafael van der Vaart, Dirk Kuyt, Arjen Robben and Inter man Wesley Sneijder in their ranks but can definitely be exposed defensively. This team got to the World Cup final last year and are a very dangerous side capable of beating anyone on their day. Much like Italy would describe themselves. Although they will be hoping they can avoid the likes of the Netherlands and Spain in the early stages.
Other group winners like France and England are not the teams they once were though and are both sides whom Italy would be rather hopeful of the win against. France are far from the side that pushed Italy to penalties in claiming their third World title and many of that successful generation have since moved on to be replaced by a squad severely lacking in confidence and consistency. England often enter these competitions with a decent squad although this time it has been depleted by the loss of Wayne Rooney to suspension and their media can often be their own worst enemies by over-hyping the squad, making their expectations impossible to live up to.
However, there is one more quality team well worth a mention who could just surprise everyone, including the Azzurri. Germany enjoyed a successful World Cup with such a young squad and the sides played out to a 1-1 draw in Dortmund this year which was a decent result and performance for both teams.
Germany were outstanding last summer and made easy work of pre-tournament favourites like England and Argentina in exhilirating fashion. they are certainly a team to keep an eye on, and to avoid. Italy’s record against them in international tournaments remains decent though and they have twice toppled Germany in World Cup semi-finals which is always a promising omen.
However, this is a new era with new teams and, if possible, Italy will be hoping that they can avoid this particular German side which is overflowing with talent such as Mesut Ozil, Thomas Muller, Sami Khedira, Manuel Neuer and Mario Gotze.
Other teams will look at this Italian side with the same feelings of dread though you can be sure of that. No team wants to be matched against a side with as sound a defence as this Italian side which still contains the world’s best goalkeeper. In midfield, players like Daniele de Rossi, Alberto Aquilani, Claudio Marchisio and Riccardo Montolivo can be relied on to give their all and pull the strings and the Italian attack is filled with goals, including players such as Alberto Gilardino, Giampaolo Pazzini, Giuseppe Rossi, Balotelli and Cassano.
Italy will be hopeful of at least reaching the semi finals and the proud national record in these competitions will ensure that the stakes will always be high and the expectancy will certainly be of a last four finish at least. Should the Azzurri get to the semi finals then who knows? They just may be able to make that final push. As things stand, the smart money would be on a team like Spain, but overlook this Italy squad at your peril. They are definite dark horses.
Follow Padraig Whelan on Twitter: @PWhelan88 and check out his sports blog here.
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Couple errors: Italy tied twice once in hostile Serbia
Secondly: Italy beat France for there 4th world cup not there third
Otherwise decent article