Italia

[CoachKilmer]

Italia should win this group easy.

[VCFan]

Italia should win this group easy.

That might not be the smartest thing to say this far ahead of the tournament. Could be used against you ;)

[tomwilhelm]

They probably should, true.

But Cameroon is a quality side, very much capible of taking full points off the Azzurri. And I think you may be surprised by a Honduras squad very much representing a high point of the development cycle. I don't fancy South Korea, but I sure wouldn't want to be playing any South Korean team if I was desperately needing 3 points to advance. The Olympics being as close to S. Korea as they are, you can expect a home game for them from a fan perspective as well.

[vancity eagle]

Italia should win this group easy.

the only group I would say anybody is going to win easily is Brazil in their group.

[VCFan]

They probably should, true.

But Cameroon is a quality side, very much capible of taking full points off the Azzurri. And I think you may be surprised by a Honduras squad very much representing a high point of the development cycle. I don't fancy South Korea, but I sure wouldn't want to be playing any South Korean team if I was desperately needing 3 points to advance. The Olympics being as close to S. Korea as they are, you can expect a home game for them from a fan perspective as well.

We also happen to be at a high point in terms of youth development. We just won the Toulon tournament with more than half of our starters missing. That being said, we had better chances of winning the 2007 U21 European championships, and that didn't happen either. So I'm not predicting a first-place finish, per se, but I would be deeply disgusted with this group of Italian players if they didn't make it out of this group.

[sardus_pater]

likely key players for italy

sebastian giovinco
7_6cTsuX-XY

riccardo montolivo
WoTcoA4AlIE

giuseppe rossi
AyPJAWP-pJs

pablo osvaldo
OjqR9a0JKTk

robert acquafresca
rp6H6WB_2G4

fabiano santacroce
0EXhPwMhbrI

luca cigarini
zA39GiDzCW0

[jcvf90]

u forgot cerci, and giovinco is a beast, he is a Juventus player who was on loan this season, many say the next Del Piero.
I actually played some with him when i was in italy two years ago in soccer camp, he was there to help out, i was 16 hoping someone would think i had talent lol. Anywho This generation of italians is really good i expect alot, but i hope mi pais (honduras) can take some points from u.

[Canadian Azzurri]

Cerci in all likelihood won't be going.

[jcvf90]

why?

[sardus_pater]

why?

He is still recovering from an injury. And even if he was able to recover in time for the olympics I doubt he would make it. Lots of competition in attack.

[mattteo]

Santacroce won't be going too (suspended) and Montolivo is in doubt. Olympics are strange....especially those outside Europe....I don't think there's any clear favorite in this group....Italy got beaten 4-0 by Zambia 20 years ago in Seoul, played like shit in Atlanta, struggled in Sydney...

[Canadian Azzurri]

Santacroce won't be going too (suspended) and Montolivo is in doubt. Olympics are strange....especially those outside Europe....I don't think there's any clear favorite in this group....Italy got beaten 4-0 by Zambia 20 years ago in Seoul, played like shit in Atlanta, struggled in Sydney...

Err....Santacroce is suspended? Why? I remember he got a red against the Faroes a few months ago; but Italy already played one game since then (Azerbaijan). Unless he did something really, really bad, I can't remember....

And I don't think Fiorentina can hold onto Montolivo if he wants to go because he's Olympic-eligible; as opposed to an over-age player whom clubs can deny permission.

[mattteo]

He did something really bad...he's suspended for antoher 3 games.

http://www.goal.com/IT/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=699374

[Canadian Azzurri]

He did something really bad...he's suspended for antoher 3 games.

http://www.goal.com/IT/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=699374

Damn; was looking forward to seeing him in action, he's quite the talent. Criscito-Canini?

[jcvf90]

Criscito i am sure he is going, i predict he will be a center back for the italian NT for years.

[Glass Moon]

Is Italy going to bring the three allowed overaged players? which players would you select?

[VCFan]

Santacroce won't be going too (suspended) and Montolivo is in doubt. Olympics are strange....especially those outside Europe....I don't think there's any clear favorite in this group....Italy got beaten 4-0 by Zambia 20 years ago in Seoul, played like shit in Atlanta, struggled in Sydney...

This team is really special though... they may very well give Argentina and Brazil a run for their money (if they make it that far, of course)! I agree that there should be no clear-cut favorites, but I think that people like
(I presume) you and I who have watched the Italian U21s in action would be very, very, very surprised if they don't advance from the group stages.

[jcvf90]

I got to see sme of the toulon tourney, and they should definetly be getting far, I think though that Brazil and Argentina have more experienced squads, as more of their player have played in big games, Anderson and PAto, also Messi and Aguero.

[DaveyGorgeous]

I got to see sme of the toulon tourney, and they should definetly be getting far, I think though that Brazil and Argentina have more experienced squads, as more of their player have played in big games, Anderson and PAto, also Messi and Aguero.

Good point. Italy's youth is vibrant and hungry, but big-game experience is lacking. Even still, though they many may begin to develop this experience now, this development will be important so that it can be carried with them into future tournaments such as the WC 2010 and EURO 2008 where, certainly, many of these players may be featured.

[VCFan]

Good point. Italy's youth is vibrant and hungry, but big-game experience is lacking. Even still, though they many may begin to develop this experience now, this development will be important so that it can be carried with them into future tournaments such as the WC 2010 and EURO 2008 where, certainly, many of these players may be featured.

Also, we have to remember that the squad at the Toulon tournament was missing half of the regular starters and that the overage players could quite possibly inject the needed experience into the squad. But like I said, I don't expect them to beat Brazil or Argentina, I would just be extremely surprised if they didn't advance from the group stages.