Prandelli vows no Italian let up

Posted Friday, October 07, 2011 by YAHOO Sport

Italy coach Cesare Prandelli insists his side will put in a big performance when they tackle Serbia in a Euro 2012 qualifier at the Red Star Stadium here on Friday.

Italy have already qualified for next year's finals in Poland and Ukraine as winners of Group C and have nothing left to play for in their last two games.

But Friday's opponents Serbia, and Northern Ireland, who they host in Pescara on Tuesday, are still in contention for second place and a play-off berth.

And Prandelli has vowed to take these games seriously.

"I want my team to show that they know how to tackle a side that is playing for a Euro 2012 play-off place," said the coach.

"I expect a great performance.

"In training we've been working on one aspect: putting pressure on our opponents and that's what I expect to see during the game."

Italy and Serbia last met in Genoa in October last year, although that game was abandoned after just six minutes due to crowd trouble involving visiting Serb hooligans.

However, Prandelli doesn't expect any problems this time around, although he admitted he was disappointed no Italy fans will be there to cheer on their team at the ground known as the Marakana.

"Tomorrow (Friday) night's game will only be a football match, what happened in the first game was something out of the ordinary, which we must put behind us," he said.

"This time nothing will happen off the pitch.

"I know the fans won't be there for security reasons, it will be strange but we have to adapt to that.

"In exceptional circumstances you need to know how to accept such decisions. It's just temporary, it won't happen again in the future."

Prandelli also brushed off a scandal involving striker Antonio Cassano, who earlier this week insulted an Italian journalist.

"The Cassano affair was quickly resolved even though everyone is free to reflect on what happened," said the former Roma and Fiorentina coach.

"It was a serious affair, but Antonio was the first to want to apologise to the journalist and for me that was enough."

AC Milan forward Cassano is expected to partner Villarreal's Giuseppe Rossi up front with Fiorentina's Riccardo Montolivo in the hole behind the front two.

Centre-back Giorgio Chiellini is set to line up at left back while his Juventus team-mate Andrea Barzagli will come into the middle for his first cap in three years.