FEARLESS VENTURA
Italy coach says his team will definitely book Russia berth
MILAN
Italy coach Gian Piero Ventura said the thought of missing the World Cup had never crossed his mind as he tried to soothe the nerves of his anxious countrymen on Monday.
Italy, who last went through a World Cup qualifying playoff in 1998 when they beat Russia 2-1 on aggregate, must beat Sweden over two legs to qualify for next year’s tournament and their lacklustre recent performances have many fans fearing the worst.
The 69-year-old Ventura, Italy’s oldest coach, was in confident mood on Monday.
“It’s an important moment for my and for my career, and also for the players because some have the chance to start a new cycle and others to finish one,” he told reporters.
“Going to the World Cup is important for everyone, the young and the not-so-young.
“But I’m in a relaxed frame of mind because I have the goodwill of the players and because Italy has always come together to face these challenges — you just have to look at the 65,000 tickets sold for San Siro.”
“I have never considered the possibility of not going to the World Cup,” he added. “Italy has never let us down and we won’t let Italy down.”
Italy, who last missed the World Cup in 1958, visit Sweden for the first leg on Friday and host the return three days later in Milan.
The four-times world champions finished second in their qualifying group behind Spain and their confidence was undermined by September’s 3-0 defeat in Madrid.
“Before the Spain game, we had a good run of wins and many good games. After that game, due to the manner of the defeat, a lot of criticism came our way,” he said.
z ATHENS: Greece coach Michael Skibbe blasted Fifa’s decision to ban Roma defender Kostas Manolas from tomorrow’s World Cup playoff first leg away to Croatia for “intentionally seeking a yellow card.”
“What Fifa did was not right. Fifa sometimes takes some ‘special’ decisions. And this is “special’,” Skibbe told reporters on Monday.
Fifa’s disciplinary committee on Friday handed Manolas a onematch suspension after he was adjudged to have deliberately got himself booked for time wasting in Greece’s 2-1 win in Cyprus last month.
That yellow card triggered a ban which Manolas served in Greece’s final group game — a 4-0 victory over Gibraltar — but the 26-year-old will now also miss the trip to Zagreb.
“I do not know how that was decided. We were ahead of Cyprus 2-1 and in the last few minutes every team around the world lets some players get a yellow card for delaying,” Skibbe said.
“So Manolas got a yellow card and did not play against Gibraltar. And now Fifa have decided four weeks later to punish him for something that all players do.”
Even without Manolas in the starting line-up and despite some injuries, Skibbe said his team will be ready for the encounter with Croatia.
“We will be ready, we have been working for the last two years to go to Russia. Croatia have a good team but we will do our best with the players we have to qualify,” he said. Agencies