| Gabriele Marcotti's France-vs.-Italy Breakdown |
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| France |
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Italy |
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You need a steady stomach to watch Fabien Barthez play. His unorthodox style won't win him any favors with the purists, but the fact remains, he has conceded little. Italy, however, is a team that punishes opponents' mistakes and he'll have to be at his best -- provided the Azzurri venture far enough forward to take a crack at goal.
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GOALKEEPER The Edge:
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Francesco Toldo is having a spectacular Euro 2000. His positioning is excellent and, for a man his size, he is lightning quick in getting his body down for low shots. These championships confirmed what many already suspected: he is one of the top goalkeepers in the world and only Gigi Buffon keeps him from being Italy's full-time No. 1.
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This back four has been playing together for years and is one of the tightest, most reliable backlines in the business. Laurent Blanc's leadership and sense of position more than make up for his age, and there is plenty of experience to go around. Lilian Thuram and Bixente Lizarazu will have to get forward to provide the French midfield with some width.
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DEFENSE Even
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Alessandro Nesta and Fabio Cannavaro have been pretty much airtight for much of the tournament, and Mark Iuliano has proven himself competent as well. They will get plenty of help from Paolo Maldini, tracking back in his wingback position. The key will be countering the pace of Thierry Henry (and Nicolas Anelka, if he plays).
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If, as many predict, Italy sits back and erects its usual barricades, it will be up to Zinedine Zidane to unlock the Azzurri's backline. France's "water carriers" -- Emanuel Petit, Didier Deschamps and Patrick Vieira -- will need to win the ball back quickly and efficiently and perhaps be somewhat more direct than the Dutch were.
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MIDFIELD The Edge:
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Much will depend on whether Zidane is man-marked. If he is, it will only put even more strain on Stefano Fiore. He probably won't see much of the ball, so it will be essential for him to distribute it quickly and efficiently, especially on the counterattack.
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Henry will be a handful. Roger Lemerre needs to make sure he is adequately supported by whoever plays alongside him. Against Spain, the French strikers struggled to find openings and it will only get worse against Italy. David Trezeguet is more of an aerial threat than Anelka and he could trouble the Italian backline, provided he gets his crosses in.
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ATTACK The Edge: |
Regardless of whether Dino Zoff starts Alex Del Piero or Francesco Totti, the key will be Pippo Inzaghi. He has blown hot and cold so far, drawing headlines mainly for his knack for finishing offside and his tendency to take a tumble at every opportunity. Del Piero nad Totti have the creativity and talent to make something happen, but Inzaghi will need to be ready.
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Lemerre has no shortage of alternatives should he decide to shake up the frontline. Christophe Dugarry provides tactical intelligence, Robert Pires width, Youri Djorkaeff creativity and Johan Micoud elegant, linear passing. Each of those four can win games single-handedly if given the opportunity, which means France can change the face of the game in the second half.
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BENCH The Edge: |
Whoever is left out between Totti and Del Piero will provide a boost off the bench, but beyond that the Azzurri have few alternatives. Marco Delvecchio is competent, but nothing to write home about, while the midfield alternatives (Angelo Di Livio, Massimo Ambrosini) are essentially role players and little more.
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Les Bleus would love a European title to go with their World Cup. They play with more confidence and ease than any other team in Europe and there is a sense that, with Holland gone, they are carrying the torch for attacking football.
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INTANGIBLES The Edge: |
The Azzurri know how to win and are as mentally tough as any team in world soccer. The semifinal against Holland took a lot out of them, however, and it remains to be seen whether lightning can strike twice.
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After some initial jitters, Lemerre has done an excellent job filling Aime Jacquetıs large shoes. However, his tinkering has sometimes been counterproductive and he was arguably out-coached by Portugalıs Humberto Coelho in the semifinal.
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COACH The Edge: |
Zoff is a living legend whose defensive tactical nous is hard to match. He has managed to build a cohesive, united side that so far has shocked the pundits. France will be his biggest test yet, but he seems up to it.
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If Zidane is less than stellar and Italy mans the barricades it's hard to see how Les Bleus can break through.
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X-Factor The Edge: |
As long Zoff's men don't give up an early goal, there will always be a chance for them to hit on the break. And, as always, Totti and Del Piero can win matches single-handedly if given space.
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| Marcotti's Prediction: France |
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