Italy are aiming to keep up their
strong start to their Euro 2016 qualifying campaign against
Bulgaria in Sofia Saturday.
But they will be without key attacking midfielder Claudio
Marchisio who has been ruled out with a muscle injury that put
paid to his season for Italy and Juventus.
Marchisio snapped an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in
his knee and will be out for "six to seven months", the sources
said.
The ACL lesion will require reconstructive surgery, they
said.
Antonio Conte's men have collected 10 points from their
opening four qualification fixtures in Group H and are almost
odds-on favourites with most international bookmakers to claim
all three points against Ivaylo Petev's out-of-sorts side this
weekend.
Bulgaria have collected just four points from their
opening four qualification matches and are in desperate need of
a positive result on Saturday.
With Andrea Pirlo and Daniele De Rossi also out of the
picture, Paris Saint-Germain's Marco Verratti is expected to be
pulling the strings in Italy's midfield.
The Azzurri will be without Juve's vastly experienced
35-year-old Pirlo, as well as Roma's combative midfielder
Daniele De Rossi, as both players are trying to get back to top
fitness.
Conte has therefore turned to Verratti, 22, who has shone
on the Champions League stage for PSG - most recently in their
remarkable last-minute comeback last-16 win against Chelsea.
The compact PSG passthreader has a chance to prove he can
be a permanent replacement for Pirlo once the veteran retires
from the national team.
"I know I am not the best in the national team," Verratti
told the Italian press.
"Ahead of me there are great champions that have won
everything.
"When Pirlo and De Rossi are here, it's normal that they
play. I will always try to be available for the national team
but I need to earn my place.
"A young player always has to give more because it's
normal that a coach points on experience rather than youth.
"I will not consider it a tragedy if I don't play once
Pirlo returns."
Pirlo has collected 113 caps and postponed his
international retirement last summer following Italy's
first-round elimination from the World Cup in Brazil to help
Italy qualify for Euro 2016.
"Pirlo is a very difficult player to replace," Verratti
said. "If one day I have to take his (Pirlo's) place, I will try
to do my best.
"For a coach, it's great to have strong players.
Competition helps win titles."
Verratti, who was a member of Italy's World Cup squad last
summer, insists the Azzurri's strength is the team and not
individual talent.
"Unless you are (Lionel) Messi or (Diego) Maradona, the
national team cannot belong to one person," Verratti said. "I
will try to give my best if given the opportunity.
"I know what the coach wants from me and I will try to do
the best I can with the tasks he gives me."
Conte's side are behind Croatia on goal difference at the
top of Group H, with both teams having won three matches and
drawn one.
"This is a very important game for me and for the team,"
Verratti said. "I will try to give my best.
Italy play a friendly against England in Turin three days
after the Sofia game.
Marchisio's absence in both matches will be a serious
headache for Conte.
But for Juve, who have almost wrapped up their fourth
straight scudetto under Conte's successor Massimiliano Allegri,
it should be less of a problem - despite the absence for a
shorter spell of inspirational young French midfielder Paul
Pogba.
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