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| Lippi rejects Cesar claim |
Saturday 20 June, 2009 |
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Italy Coach Marcello Lippi has rejected claims made by Brazil goalkeeper Julio Cesar suggesting his side lost against Egypt because they didn't run enough.
The Azzurri looked lethargic as Egypt beat them 1-0 in the Confederations Cup on Thursday night, putting their place in the competition at serious risk.
“You say Cesar said that Egypt beat us because they ran a lot? Their goalkeeper ran a lot from one post to the other,” Lippi joked.
The 61-year-old World Cup winner then criticised the Italian Press for their reaction to Thursday night's defeat.
“You showed little imagination in calling us mummies, it didn't have an effect. Anyway at times even mummies take off their bandages,” Lippi said.
“This team still has the desire to win, just as in the World Cup.
“We haven't a dispute with the journalists. You have a dispute with us. I am sorry this situation has been created because we thought we deserved something more.”
On being asked why the players had been silent after the Egypt game, Lippi replied: “Go an ask them.”
He then responded to criticism surrounding his decision to start with Giuseppe Rossi against the Egyptians.
“I started with him because their central defenders are slow. We tried to put them in difficulty with fast players on the flanks, trying to open them up with Rossi as a centre-forward and making our wide attackers get behind them.
“It was an idea. It didn't work, but we tried,” he added.
Lippi then turned to Sunday's vital match against Brazil, which will ultimately decide Italy's fate in the Confederations Cup.
Italy met Brazil at the Emirates in February and lost 2-0, but Lippi doesn't expect the result to be the same this time around.
“It was just a friendly. We paid the price because it was the first time some members of the team played such an important game,” Lippi concluded.
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