Two of Italy's biggest attacking
threats at the World Cup, Giuseppe Rossi and Antonio Cassano,
are respectively "in good shape" and "fired up", according to
Italy's medical staff three weeks before the campaign opener
against old foe England.
Fiorentina striker Rossi is "quite well" at Italy's
pre-World Cup training camp, Azzurri doctor Enrico Castellacci
said.
Castellacci said Rossi, who returned to Serie A for
Fiorentina's last two matches in qualifying for the Europa
League, "is quite well (but) we have to see how he will react in
the next few days to the work load".
"As of today, after two and a half days, the lad has done
everything we have asked him to, and expected of him, in this
first phase of the training camp.
"From the medical standpoint, I repeat, Rossi is well and
we are constantly monitoring him, every day".
The young Italo-American striker is keenly awaited as one
of the possible stars of the World Cup, which Italy start
against England on June 14, despite having to recover from two
career-threatening injuries, one at his former club Villarreal
and one at the Viola.
Despite missing two months of the season he still ended up
high on the marksmen's charts with 12 goals, 10 behind Torino's
Ciro Immobile.
The other Azzurri surprise, former bad boy Antonio Cassano,
was "well rested" after helping Parma into the Europa League in
the dying moments of the season, Castellacci said.
"He's very motivated and physically very fit, he's
training with great determination," the doctor said.
"In theory he can last the full 90 minutes," Castellacci
sasid, answering one of the doubts over the former Roma, Real
Madrid and AC Milan man's fitness.
Coverciano was under high-security guard after racist
chants against AC Milan striker Mario Balotelli, with the
biggest event being a surprise drugs test by the Italian Olympic
Committee (CONI).
The CONI blood and urine tests came out clear.
Balotelli is expected to spearhead the attack with either
Rossi or Cassano supporting him, although Immobile and his
Torino teammamte Alessio Circi are also in the frame.
Cassano may come on as an impact sub given his lower
fitness levels after a heart op at Milan a few years ago.
The other teams in Italy's tough group are Uruguay and
Costa Rica.
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