BRASILE - ITALIA (21 marzo 2013, Ginevra)

Really? How many times do they want to play? We've got them in the Confed Cup too. Hopefully Prandelli doesn't embarrass us like Lippi did 2x, and takes Brazil seriously...no experimenting in this game please! Prior to Lippi, Italy and Brazil were even in wins and goals for, then Lippi decided that wasn't important anymore.

It's funny how things have changed though. Under Scolari (part 2) you can expect that Brazil play tight and organized defensively, and with Prandelli Italy will continue to look for the attack first mentality.

It's the two most successful international teams doing a Yin Yang, balancing out the forces of the Universe obviously

I just hope Prandelli gives a bit more thought to defensive side of things again.

Question: I know the majority of Brazil's players play on European teams but for the last 6-10 years or so, it seems their national team always seems to play friendlies in the old continent. Is there a marketing reason behind it or is it just that all their players are based there? Just curious.....

Yeah of course, when all else fail$...

nice! should be exciting to play them twice...like pauly said hopefully prandelli gets revenge

Does this game really matter at all? Usually the attitude towards friendlies has been pretty apathetic in this forum, with people largely considering the result meaningless. Even my attitude has changed.. I used to look at every game as a chance for Italy to represent, but now, in the wake of the Prandelli era especially, friendlies have ever become a nuisance. We lost against France, England, Ivory Coast, USA and Russia, won a friendly against Spain, but then choked miserably against them when it mattered.

So again, what is the point? B/c its Brasil? Meh, who ********ing cares! They have also fallen from grace and are being currently overshadowed by the achievements of Argentina and Uruguay, like Italy has done against Spain and the Premier League. Oh how the mighty have fallen!

Send the under 21 team against Brasil so they earn experience and keep the top players focused on qualifications and the Champion's League, which both accurately depict Italy's true strength in calcio rather than the result of some artificial friendly put on in a neutral venue.

Can you tell me the difference between an artificial friendly and a legit one, by any chance?

When you take a team from another continent, have them play in Europe against a European team in a neutral venue during the knockout phase of the champion's league, I would call it artificial.

I reiterate my previous statement.. What is the point? Even if we beat Brasil in a Spanish style thrashing, what significance does it have other than meaningless pride about the head-to-head record?

Pride? ******** pride! After losing by a record amount in a final and collecting loses from every confederation during the Prandelli era, only winning the world cup in 2014 will restore the pride I once felt, not some stupid friendly played during a crucial stage in the season as a cash grab for some 2nd rate nation from an underdeveloped part of the world!

******** these friendlies and ******** the Confederations Cup! Send the under 21 to all friendlies for now on and stop wasting my ********ing time with this bullshit!

So what's a legit "friendly" then?

Well, friendlies are typically used to test B squads, other formations etc, or other players that you might, as a coach, like to have as a reserve. Also to get the players more familiar with each other since they hardly play together. Ask Falvo about that, it really bothers him that the national team doesn't play as many games a year as a club team.

In other cases teams might line up as strong an A squad as possible to see what it can do against another teams A squad (Italy/Germany in March 2006 as an example).

Italy has Brazil in Confed, which is largely considered a meaningless tournament, but the World Cup is in Brazil as well and they're going to want to win it at home. There's a chance we could meet in knock out. Might be a good idea to see what sort of effort is required to beat them at home.

Playing Brasil in Rio.

By playing them in Switzerland?

People say that Prandelli restored calcio after 2010, but when Grosso hit that volley against Brasil in London (inaccurately called for offsides) I was out of my seat, jumping for joy! Yes, we lost that game and again against them at the Confederations, but at least I cared. Now, I really just don't give a shit! I just want 2014 to hurry up and be here so that I can start caring again.

Because then it would be a meaningful "friendly". Ok, gotcha

Friendlies are friendlies no matter where they're played. It depends on what the coach wants to use them for; test new formation, players, or build chemistry with the first selection... where it is played is insignificant.

So you're saying if they sent a full squad to the friendly, because it's not in Brazil, it wouldn't be a measure of Italy's A vs Brazil's A because it's in Switzerland? Ok, gotcha

I said that same to Falvo, why don't you guys watch and enjoy the game weekly too?

I agree with Falvo here. I think that the national team should be a traveling road show like Mexico and Brasil have become and play away games at every federation. Sure, the top clubs won't release their players and some will not want to travel, but so what. Take younger people from Serie B or C that are not spoiled millionaires yet and want to play for their country and make a name for themselves. This could be a useful way to find future stars.

Yes! Italy should play every game in Brasil from now on, even WC qualifiers!!

And this coach has proved that the results of these friendlies are no sweat off his back to him. Couple that with Italy's already apathetic attitude towards these games and I get this feeling that this game is just a nostalgic grab to the past to try and remind us when we were battling each other for world supremacy and when games like this actually mattered. Really though, this game has all the relevance of doing late night throw in drills.

That's right! ******** these spoiled bitches! If they really cared about Italy, they would move to Brasil right now and be playing in their league!

I have said it before and I will say it again, I garner no joy from watching Serie A, which I regard as an expensive training ground for the national team. I see what games I can on satellite but usually am more interested in stock watching key players instead of sitting on the edge of my seat worrying about results.

I find the league too predictable so if you are outside Juve, Milan or Inter, it is practically impossible to win a scudetto. Lazio and Roma managed it at the turn of the century, and Samp, Napoli and Verona had moments in the 80's but nothing looks likely to break the triumvirate right now.

Meanwhile, Brazil falls to its lowest ever FIFA ranking.

http://www.sambafoot.com/en/news/40476_brazil_plummets_yet_again_to_lowest_ever_fifa_ranking_.html

Further Confirmation that Fifa's ranking system still has a lot to be desired. In a competitive match between Brazil and England, I wouldn't be betting against Brazil, yet they sit at 18th and England in 6th. Rankings don't tell the whole story.

Seedorf took the jump and moved to Brasil not too long ago!

http://www.aljazeera.com/sport/football/2012/12/2012125203711769849.html

Not everything is all gravy though..

http://www.sambafoot.com/en/news/40902_seedorf_disappointed_with_attendance_for_botafogo_games.html

Still, the fact remains that he has become a sort of cult figure in Brasil, a place where few foreign players dwell. Imagine the impact it would have if several players from Italy were already playing there and knew the scene before the World Cup started! I know, it is a terribly unrealistic idea, what given the wage disparity between the two places and how pampered and spoiled players are in Europe, so it will probably never happen, but if players really wanted to become truly legendary and help spread the gospel of calcio, this would no doubt be a good move.

let's not forget friendlies are also useful to unveil a new kit. many teams have already unveiled New kits for the confederations cup but what the hell always takes Italy so long?

repped your user name

I hope they don't send out the ItalJuve as usual.

How about someone creates a thread about Italy playing Holland in Amsterdam on Feb 6th? I would do it myself, but I lack sufficient privileges on this forum...

http://www.football-italia.net/node/14810

I think this will be a better test of what we really have. Also, will Prandelli ban Balotelli for a game for brawling with Mancini?

I think is a good friendly, might not mean much but when you put two of the best national teams in history together it's always fun. Besides we hardly get to see them play vs eachother unless its the world cup or confederation cup. Might be meaningless but is fun as hell.


Shaarawy, Giovinco, Destro, Balloteli, Verratti vs Neymar, Oscar, Lucas Moura, Damiao, Pato

both teams have great young players that are going to be main charachters in confederation cup and world cup


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Nah, Italy should cancel this friendly.. Its just a waste of time and all of Prandelli's plans will come to nothing in the end. Spain is the balls of world soccer and owns us right now... How is playing Felipao's experimental side, which may be different come 2014 be any kind of help for us? Answer.... It won't! This is just a cash grab for second rate brasilian players in Europe and for two federations that have both seen better days. 1994 it ain't!

IMHO, I personally think they should play a game a month but that won't ever happen. I also agree though that this match is waste of time won't do much to develop cohesion.

I thought all games they play contribute to cohesion, why not here?