Soccer: Optimism on Cassano grows in Italy camp
Prandelli not looking for champagne soccer in Estonia
31 August, 16:19
(ANSA) - Florence, August 31 - Optimism grew Tuesday about
Antonio Cassano's chances of making Italy's opening Euro 2012
qualifier in Estonia on Friday after national team doctors
assessed the forward's back problem.Cassano was absent on the first day of the Azzurri's training camp for the trip to Tallinn and next Tuesday's home game against the Faroe Islands after taking a knock in Sampdoria's 2-0 Serie A win over Lazio on Sunday, when he scored a penalty.
He will have to rest on Tuesday too but looks on course for a rapid recovery.
''The situation is certainly much better than yesterday,'' Azzurri medic Enrico Castellacci said Tuesday.
''The chances of him having to leave the squad are much slimmer. It's much more likely that he'll be able to recover.
He's positive and I'm optimistic''.
Fiorentina midfielder Riccardo Montolivo also missed training Tuesday with a slight thigh muscle problem but he should be fit for action as well. Coach Cesare Prandelli, who took over the national team after they flopped at the World Cup under Marcello Lippi, has called up Sevilla midfielder Luca Cigarini after Juventus's Claudio Marchisio pulled out with thigh trouble. The former Fiorentina boss said he is not looking for champagne soccer in his first competitive matches on the Azzurri bench after making his debut in a 1-0 friendly defeat to Ivory coach earlier this month.
''There are no easy matches. We won't go out trying to put on a show,'' he told reporters Monday. ''We'll seek order, balance and good results.
''Estonia have four or five world class players and they are settled as a team, while we are still trying to make ourselves into a side''.
