EURO 2012: Italy Vrs Republic Of Ireland Preview

• Venue: Municipal Stadium, Poznan
 
• Date: Monday, 18 June
 
• Kick-off:19:45 BST

• TEAM NEWS

  Mario Balotelli trained on Sunday despite limping out of training 24 hours earlier with a knee injury but the striker is set to be dropped in favour of Antonio Di Natale.
  Centre-back Andrea Barzagli is expected to feature despite missing the opening two matches with a calf problem.
  Damien Duff will captain Ireland on his 100th appearance for his country.
  Striker Kevin Doyle starts at the expense of Simon Cox in manager Giovanni Trapattoni's only change.
  The Azzurri are expected to switch to a 4-3-1-2 formation, with full-backs Ignazio Abate and Federico Balzaretti tipped to replace Christian Maggio and Emanuele Giaccherini.
  Daniele De Rossi is set to switch from defence to midfield, with Thiago Motta given an advanced attacking role.

  MATCH PREVIEW

  The Republic of Ireland's Euro 2012 hopes may be over a little too prematurely for everyone concerned but an encounter with Italy allows the country to reminisce about past glories, to celebrate the coaching achievements of boss Giovanni Trapattoni and is perhaps one final moment in the spotlight for some of the country's old guard - although not Robbie Keane who has vowed to play on.
  It was exactly 18 years ago, on 18 June 1994, that Ireland beat Italy for the first time in their history courtesy of Ray Houghton's famous strike at the World Cup finals. It's also a poignant date as six Catholic men were murdered by gunmen whilst watching the match in Northern Ireland. The Republic of Ireland's players will wear black armbands as a sign of respect to those who lost their lives in the Loughinisland massacre.
  The Irish have lost to Italy only once in four meetings since then and have become somewhat of a bogey side for their more illustrious opponents. Their incentive this time around is knowing victory would see them finish above the 2006 world champions in the final Group C standings.
  The situation for Italy is eerily similar to that which confronted them ahead of their final match for Euro 2004. No matter how big a win against the Irish, a 2-2 draw (or higher score draw) in the other group game between Spain and Croatia will ensure the Italians head home early - this because head-to-head records come into play when two or more countries finish level on points. Italy's 1-1 draw with both nations would therefore be seen as the weaker result. Sweden and Denmark conjured up a 2-2 draw eight years ago to end Italian hopes; the Azzurri were managed by a certain Giovanni Trapattoni back then. Is he about to watch the same fate unfold on his motherland again but this time from the opposite dug-out?
  Current Italian head coach Cessare Prandelli may have guided his country through qualifying unbeaten but they are the only side at Euro 2012 who are yet to win a match this calendar year. Their last victory was a 2-0 friendly win over Poland in Wroclaw last November but Italy have also never recorded a competitive victory on Polish soil, drawing all five games - three against Poland in various qualifying competitions throughout the years and obviously both Euro 2012 group matches to date.

  MATCH FACTS

  Head-to-head
  • This is the third meeting between the countries at a major tournament but the first at a European Championship. Italy won their 1990 World Cup encounter 1-0, Ireland won by the same scoreline four years later at the 1994 World Cup.
  • This fixture takes place on the 18-year anniversary of Ray Houghton's famous winner for Ireland in their 1-0 win over Italy at the 1994 World Cup in New York.
  • Ireland are unbeaten in three matches against Italy under Giovanni Trapattoni's management. They won a friendly 2-0 in the Belgian city of Liege last summer, following on from back-to-back draws in qualifying for the 2010 World Cup.
  Italy
  • Italy have gone six games without a win at either the European Championship or World Cup finals since beating France 2-0 in their final group stage match in Euro 2008 - it's their longest ever major tournament winless streak.
  • The Italians have won their final group game at the last three Euros tournaments - 2-0 against France in 2008, 2-1 versus Bulgaria in 2004 and 2-1 against Sweden in 2000.
  • Italy could become the first country to draw all three group matches in Euro finals history.
  Ireland
  • Giovanni Trapattoni is looking to become the first man to coach a nation to victory against his motherland at the European Championship since Guus Hiddink, whose Russia side beat the Netherlands 3-1 in the quarter-finals of Euro 2008.
  • Trapattoni has failed to progress from the group stages in both Euros he has managed in, after also failing to advance with Italy in 2004.
  • Damien Duff will win his 100th cap, becoming the fifth player to reach this milestone for Ireland.

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