EURO 2008 GROUP B Standing:  Scotland 2nd position, 24 points
                                                       Italy 3rd position, 23 points

On the Eve of the 2008 EURO QUALIFYING MATCH  Scotland - Italy, let's see what might happen:

If history repeats itself, Italy might be out of the EURO 2008 COMPETITION.  Records indicate that after Italy won the FIFA World Cup in 1982, Italy did not make it for the UEFA European Championship. 

Talking about history, Italy won the 2006 FIFA World Cup, will it repeat the 1982 experience again?  Therefore, this will be the main challenge not only for Italian Head Coach Roberto Donadoni, but also for each player of the National team to break this historical fact. The question is whether Italians will use their unity and keep focused in the match. I don't know about you guys, but I'm already praying for Italy's victory.

Here is the current standing of the UEFA EURO 2008 QUALIFYING Group B

STANDINGS FOR EURO 2008 GROUP B	PLAYED	POINTS
France	11	25
Scotland	11	24
Italy	10	23
Ukraine	10	16
Lithuania	10	10
Georgia	11	10
Faroe Islands	11	0

SCENARIOS

-  Italy right now is in the 3rd position with 23 points, one point behind Scotland and with a game in hand.

- If Italy loses in Scotland, you better start lighting candles and holding prayers group because it will be a somber scenario.  Italy will no longer depend on winning against  Faroe Islands, but France will have to lose the next match against Ukraine.  However, it will be tough because the match is in Ukraine.  If Ukraine beat France, then, Italians better start sending the best pizza in town to all the Ukrainian team.

ARE YOU PICTURING THE SCENARIO???

PROBLEM FOR DONADONI

It seems that Donadoni has recovered Captain Fabio Cannavaro and midfielder Gennaro Gattuso. Problem is that he did not recover AC Milan defender Massimo Oddo.  For me, at least in the last performances, Oddo has not played that well. I rather see a fit and extra motivated Christian Panucci defending Italy's honor.  About midfielders, only problem for Donadoni is to choose between Daniele De Rossi and Milan midfielder Massimo Ambrosini.  I will go for Ambrosini. Although Daniele De Rossi is a key player too. Yet, Ambrosini has proved crucial in the national team lately.  Goalkeeper?  Not even a single doubt, I go for Gigi Buffon.

Too bad, that FC Inter defender MARCO MATERAZZI is out for injury. If talking about defense, that's the piece not to miss in the Italian National team.

PROBLEM FOR McLEISH

Contrary to Donadoni that faced last moments injuries with Cannavaro, Gattuso, and Massimo Oddo.  McLeish, has only the delicious problem to choose the starting forward, either  Kenny Miller or James McFadden.  In this topic, Italy Captain's Fabio Cannavaro solved McLeish's problem by suggesting Kenny Miller over McFadden. 

Here are the LAST 3 matches between Scotland and Italy.

No wonder why Scotland says they know Andrea Pirlo pretty well.  Not only Pirlo has been in the last three matches, but also scored 2 goals in the World Cup Qualifier match on March 26, 2005.

WORLD CUP QUALIFIER
Italy  2  -  0  Scotland
March 26, 2005

Goals: 35’ & 85’ Pirlo.

Italy: Gigi Buffon; Daniele Bonera, Fabio Cannavaro, Materazzi, Chiellini; Camoranesi, Andrea Pirlo, Gennaro Gattuso; Totti (72’ De Rossi); Alberto Gilardino, Antonio Cassano (83’ Toni).Coach: Lippi.

Scotland: Douglas (38’ Gordon); McNamara, Pressley, Weir, Naysmith; Caldwell; Hartley (76’ Crawford), Ferguson, Quashie, McCulloch; Miller (86’ O'Connor).Coach: Smith.  

WORLD CUP QUALIFIER
Scotland 1 - 1 Italy
September 3, 2005
Glasglow, Scotland

Goals: 13’ Miller, 76’ Fabio Grosso.

Scotland: Gordon; Alexander, Weir, Webster, McNamara; Daily; Hartley, Fletcher, Ferguson, Quashie (67’ McCann); Miller (77’ Beattie).Coach: W. Smith.

Italy: Peruzzi; Zaccardo (46’ Grosso), Nesta, F. Cannavaro, Zambrotta; Gattuso, Pirlo, De Rossi (60’ Camoranesi); Totti; Iaquinta (71’ Toni), Vieri. Coach: Marcelo Lippi.  

EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFIER
Italy 2 - 0 Scotland
March 28, 2007
Bari

Goals: 12’ and  70'  Luca Toni

Italy: Buffon; Oddo, Materazzi, Cannavaro, Zambrotta; Gattuso, De Rossi; Camoranesi, Perrotta (Pirlo 77), Di Natale (Del Piero 66); Toni (Quagliarella 87). Coach: Roberto Donadoni

Scotland: Gordon, Alexander, McManus, Weir, Naysmith, Teale (Maloney 66), Brown (Beattie 86), Ferguson, Hartley, McCulloch (Boyd 81), Miller. Coach: A. McLeish

Here is a video clip of the AZZURRI singing Italy's song famous by Celentano "AZZURRO."  So many memories seeing Totti, Del Piero, Corradi, Gattuso...
    

WHAT:    EURO 2008 QUALIFYING 
                SCOTLAND - ITALY

WHEN:    Saturday, November 17, 2007

WHERE:  Hampden Park Stadium
Glasglow, Scotland

TIME:      6 p.m. (Italy time)
 9 a.m. (USA  Pacific time)

Referee:  Manuel Mejuto Gonzalez (ESP)
Assistants: Juan Carlo Yuste Jimenez (ESP and Antonio Artero Gallardo (ESP)
Fourth Official:  Bernardino Gonzalez Vasquez (ESP)