Tuesday, June 27, 2006

Nesta doubtful for Ukraine quarter-final

Italy's central defender Alessandro Nesta is unlikely to be fit in time to face the Ukraine in Friday's World Cup quarter-final in Hamburg due to his recurrent groin injury.
"It will be very difficult to have him ready," Italy team doctor Enrico Castellacci told reporters at Italy's training camp on Tuesday.
Nesta's replacement Marco Materazzi was sent off in Monday's 1-0 second round win against Australia and is suspended for the Ukraine match.That means Palermo's Andrea Barzagli, a second-half substitute against Australia, will come in at centre-back to play alongside Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro.
Should either Cannavaro or Barzagli get injured, Italy have no cover in that position and would probably be forced to employ midfielder Gennaro Gattuso or right-back Gianluca Zambrotta as an emergency centre-half.
Posted by Samvit :: 11:54 PM :: 0 comments

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