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| Tuesday 3 June, 2008 |
| Blog: On the defensive |
| If there was one defender Italy couldn’t afford to lose for Euro 2008 then it was Fabio Cannavaro, as Antonio Labbate explains |
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We were all preparing for the day when Italy would be forced to consider a future without Alessandro Nesta and Fabio Cannavaro. The former had already brought a halt to his international career during qualification for Euro 2008, while the latter may well have ended his distinguished Azzurri service on a stretcher in Baden last night. His tears told us that.
The loss of the inspirational captain for the European Championship is a massive blow to boss Roberto Donadoni. Although unable to stop the sands of time, the veteran Real Madrid man was still the best centre-back that the peninsula could offer to the tactician. He was the architect behind the German success two years ago, a leader which the rest of the rearguard were still built around no matter how diverse his Liga form was.
It leaves Italy without their beloved capitano, but more worryingly with a defence which will now undoubtedly be more susceptible in a group of death which just got a whole lot unhealthier. While nobody is suggesting that Italy are a one-man team, especially one which would revolve around a centre-half, the Azzurri’s spine has been displaced.
As cover for Cannavaro, Donadoni has opted to call in Alessandro Gamberini. A good player yes, but he’s no accomplished stopper – much like the other central defenders which the Don has at his disposal in the shape of Andrea Barzagli, Marco Materazzi, Giorgio Chiellini and Christian Panucci.
Barzagli has only really looked good for Italy when Cannavaro has been by his side to hold his hand, Materazzi is something of a ticking time-bomb, Chiellini – whose challenge in training KO’d Cannavaro – has had just one top-flight season playing in the middle and Panucci is more widely recognisable as a right-back. It doesn’t exactly fill one with confidence.
Gamberini’s call made sense after a couple of fine campaigns in Tuscany, but with all due respect to the Fiorentina man, we’d be better off with a different Alessandro. Nesta that is. It’s clear that offering the Milan man a place at Euro 2008 after he withdrew his services would have been considered as a slap in the face to the rest of the squad, but desperate times do call for desperate measures. After all, Italy are in it to win it.
Just in case any of you hadn’t noticed, La Nazionale will now be heading into a major competition with arguably their weakest central defensive pairing since Billy Costacurta and Luigi Apolloni lined up alongside each other at Euro ’96. Donadoni, more than most, should be aware of that fact as he was a part of the same side which failed to progress past the group stages. He’s got some work to do over the next week to make sure history doesn’t repeat itself.
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I could not agree more – Cannavaro’s loss is a huge blow and a potentially fatal one to the Azzurri. Materazzi, Zambrotta, Grosso, Barzagli, Panucci and Chiellini are all perfectly capable in their own defensive qualities, but what makes a great defence is having a leading defender. One with insight and awareness qualities to guide and marshal his co defenders during a match. With the loss of Cannavaro, there is not one player out of the remaining defenders who has this quality or is used to leading a back line on such a big stage against such good opposition.
This is where Donadoni needs to be very clever, in my view he needs to use his midfield qualities to lead his now weakened defence and there is only one player who can do this, Gattuso. I would not have previously put Gattuso in the starting XI, but he must now be unleashed in the side to use his experience to marshal this wounded Italian defence!
Michael Jaconelli
What a load of rubbish. Canna is world class, but in Barzagli and Chiellini we have two superb defenders, Panucci can also be used in this area and is more than proven! It may even be a blessing as Super Fabio doesn’t have too much pace left now.
Dominic
This has not been one of Cannavaro's best years. His performance in La Liga was below par. He has lost his determination, he looks like he is bored. Perhaps his injury is really a boost to the Azzurri and to him. He can now be fresh when the season starts up again in the fall.
Mark Zamparo
A massive blow. With the obvious exception of goalkeeper, the one position Italy could not afford to lose a player, especially one of Cannavaro's experience and calibre. For me the centre of defence should be Barzagli and more importantly Chiellini who is a big, physical player, the complete opposite of Panucci who should stay a right-back – and behind Zambrotta in the pecking order at that. Maybe the fact Chiellini put his captain out will spur him on to play better, and as I'm sure a lot of other Bianconeri fans will agree, he is certainly the type of player that thrives on the passion of the game.
Alessandro
We have to get Nesta! Nobody else can adequately cover for Cannavaro. Please convince him to return.
Dar S
Losing any important player six days before the opening game of a tournament is hard enough, losing ‘Il Capitano’ Fabio Cannavaro in a training match collision is near heart-breaking. So Europe is to be deprived of that impish Neapolitan smile that lit up Germany 2006 and has been so vital to the Azzurri over the last decade.
Italy are now facing a major problem, one they did not think they would have to deal with until the golden 2006 generation began to retire after this tournament and, in that case there would have been a whole qualifying campaign in which to adapt.
It is no secret that the world champions have a big rebuilding project to do in the near future, but it was hoped that was something for after Austria and Switzerland. Now, without the captain Roberto Donadoni faces the biggest decision of his career to date, what to do now?
Simon Finaldi
Cannavaro's injury is a blessing in disguise. He's been poor at Real Madrid, continually bailed out by Casillas, Ramos and now Pepe. Gamberini is Italy's best defender by leaps and bounds. His omission was inexcusable. Barzagli is an accomplished stopper? As Italian defenders go he's decidedly average. Barzagli was the standout defender in a mid-table team. Gamberini was the standout defender in a side that beat Milan to fourth place and reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup.
R Mehdi, Middlesbrough
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