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ROME (AP)—Italy is intent on starting anew after its disastrous first-round
World Cup exit, and Friday’s European Championship qualifier at Estonia is coach
Cesare Prandelli’s first real test.

When he coached Parma and Fiorentina, Prandelli’s teams often showed a lot
of flair and he has declared he wants the Azzurri to create a better spectacle.

“We’re at the start of a new era,” Prandelli said. “My idea is try and
win via our performance.”

With Amauri and Mario Balotelli both injured, Prandelli is expected to rely
on the talent of Antonio Cassano—a player that former coach Marcello Lippi
excluded—and his strike partner at Sampdoria, Giampaolo Pazzini, in attack.

Midfielder Andrea Pirlo is back after missing most of the World Cup with a
left calf injury and will wear the captain’s armband while goalkeeper Gianluigi
Buffon continues his recovery from back surgery.

Previous captain Fabio Cannavaro and midfielder Gennaro Gattuso retired from
the national team after the World Cup and Prandelli has not called up fullback
Gianluca Zambrotta.

“We’ve got a new coach, new players and also a new mentality—which is
playing well, because that’s how you win,” Pirlo said. “Prandelli has always
gotten his teams to play well and he’ll do the same thing with the national
team. The World Cup was just the latest example that you’ve got to play the
game, that the teams that focus on skill and quality win.”

Estonia opened Group C qualifying last month with a 2-1 win over the Faeroe
Islands, getting two goals in second-half injury time.

Estonia is led by all-time leading scorer Andres Oper, AZ Alkmaar defender
Ragnar Klavan and Middlesbrough newcomer Tarmo Kink.

The match will be played at Lillekula Arena in Tallinn. Prandelli will then
get his home debut Tuesday at his old stadium in Florence against the Faeroe
Islands.

Italy was beaten 1-0 by Ivory Coast in a friendly last month in Prandelli’s
first match.

As for the rest of the lineup, Bologna’s 24-year-old goalkeeper Emiliano
Viviano could get his first start in goal, Leonardo Bonucci has replaced
Cannavaro in central defense alongside Giorgio Chiellini, and the new fullbacks
are Mattia Cassano of Palermo and Cristian Molinaro of Stuttgart.

Pirlo will likely be flanked by Daniele De Rossi and Riccardo Montolivo in a
4-3-3 formation with Simone Pepe or Fabio Quagliarella alongside Pazzini and
Cassano up front.

Alberto Gilardino is also an option in attack.

“It’s not going to be a walk in the park against Estonia,” Prandelli said.
“They’re a decent squad and we’ve got to be attentive.”

ROME, Aug 2 (Reuters) – Former Italy striker Roberto Baggio
is poised to make a shock return to soccer as technical director
at the Italian federation.

The shy 43-year-old, who shone at the 1990 and 1994 World
Cups, has shunned the limelight since retiring in 2004 and has
only just started his coaching badges.

“I have a great willingness to undertake the role,” the
ex-Juventus, AC Milan and Inter Milan striker told reporters on
Monday after meeting federation officials.

His appointment to the role, which includes advising coaches
and nurturing young Italian talent, will be rubber-stamped on
Wednesday.

Italy’s recent World Cup flop has prompted the federation to
choose the inspirational Baggio to head its technical division
despite his lack of coaching experience.

New Italy boss Cesare Prandelli will soon name his first
squad for next week’s friendly with Ivory Coast but has limited
youngsters to pick from, an issue Baggio will be forced to
address.

MILAN, July 31 (Reuters) – Catania’s match with Greek side
Iraklis was abandoned because of players fighting, the second
pre-season friendly involving a Serie A club to be halted
because of violence in two days.

The referee suspended Friday’s game in northern Italy after
70 minutes following a succession of bad fouls and scuffles,
Catania said in a statement on Saturday.

The Sicilians were leading 1-0.

Cagliari’s friendly with Corsican rivals Bastia in Sardinia
on Wednesday was also abandoned after 75 minutes for the same
reason.

Full scale brawls are fairly uncommon in Italian league
soccer but when tensions do boil over players often go to
extremes.

LONDON, July 17 (Reuters) – Former Italy winger Attilio
Lombardo has joined ex-Sampdoria team mate Roberto Mancini’s
backroom staff at Manchester City, the Premier League club said
on Saturday.

“He was a top class player and he will bring lots of
experience and a winning mentality to the group,” manager
Mancini told the City website (www.mcfc.co.uk).

“I know he is excited at being at Manchester City and I know
that he loves the English game from his time in London.”

Lombardo, 44, played for Crystal Palace in the 1990s. Since
retiring as a player he has worked with young players at
Sampdoria and as coach of Swiss side FC Chiasso. He will scout
the opposition for City.

Mancini has already appointed another former Sampdoria team
mate, retired England midfielder David Platt, as his first team
coach at the Abu Dhabi-owned club.

(Reporting by Alan Baldwin; Editing by Dave Thompson; To
comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)