Lippi's new formula for Gli Azzuri

Coach of Italy National Team, Marcello Lippi, try experimenting the formation of three attackers while holding exercise of "Gli Azzurri" in the city of Rome, as an alternative tactic, facing the South African 2010 World Cup, next June.

When winning the World Cup four years ago, Lippi always use a 4-4-2 or a 4-3-1-2 formation. Again, Lippi use the formation of Confederation Cup 2009. However, this tactic failed. So, Lippi tried to find a new formula in order to add an attacking power of his team in South Africa.

According to Il Corriere dello Sport, Lippi will definitely use 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3 formations. He has called 29 players to attend the three days training in the capital city of Italy. The only player who was not called is Daniele De Rossi because he had to strengthen Roma to face Inter Milan in the Italian Cup final on Wednesday (05/05/2010).

In the last four hours of training today, Lippi focus with three attackers. At first, he put Mauro Camoranesi, Marco Borriello and Fabio Quagliarella up front. After that, he tried to put Vincenzo Iaquinta, Alberto Gilardino and Antonio Di Natale.

Finally, the former Juventus coach was trying to put together Simone Pepe, Giampaolo Pazzini and Antonio Di Natale. Lippi himself had begun to satisfied with these experiments.

German and Italian second final

After previously known as the European Cup, Champions League started in 1992. Since then, just happen twice the final between German team and Italy team.

Inter Milan just ensure a spot in the Champions League final this season after defeating the former champions Barcelona. This Italian Serie A club pass to the top party with 3-2 on aggregate after a just 0-1 defeat of Barca in the second leg on Thursday (04/29/2010) pm dawn.

In the final, Bayern Munchen will meet Inter who a day earlier had confirmed the place after the victory over Lyon. This German Bundesliga team go ahead with a convincing 4-0 aggregate.

With a match between Inter vs Bayern creates the final between German and Italian team for the second time in the history of the Champions League.

Prior to this season only once the German team met the Italian team at the top of the party. Occasion occurred in 1996-97 season when Borussia Dortmund play against Juventus.


List of Champions League Final:

Season-Country-Team-Scor-Team-Country
1992–93 Prancis Marseille 1–0 Milan Italia
1993–94 Italia Milan 4–0 Barcelona Spanyol
1994–95 Netherlands Ajax 1–0 Milan Italia
1995–96 Italia Juventus *1–1* Ajax Netherlands *Juve win through penalty shoot-out
1996–97 Germany Borussia Dortmund 3–1 Juventus Italia
1997–98 Spanyol Real Madrid 1–0 Juventus Italia
1998–99 England Manchester United 2–1 Bayern Munich Germany
1999–00 Spanyol Real Madrid 3–0 Valencia Spanyol
2000–01 Germany Bayern Munich *1–1* Valencia Spanyol *Bayern win through penalty shoot-out

2001–02 Spanyol Real Madrid 2–1 Bayer Leverkusen Germany
2002–03 Italia Milan *0–0* Juventus Italia *Milan win through penalty shoot-out
2003–04 Portugal Porto 3–0 Monaco Prancis
2004–05 England Liverpool *3–3* Milan Italia *Liverpool win through penalty shoot-out

2005–06 Spanyol Barcelona 2–1 Arsenal England
2006–07 Italia Milan 2–1 Liverpool England
2007–08 England Manchester United 1–1* Chelsea England *MU win through penalty shoot-out
2008–09 Spanyol Barcelona 2–0 Manchester United England
2009-10 Germany Bayern Munchen ?-? Inter Milan Italia

Will Lippi brings Totti to Africa?

Italian fans have to be patient if they are waiting for the certainty of Francesco Totti to come to the World Cup in 2010. Italy coach, Marcello Lippi was not able to provide certainty to bring this Roma captain.

Totti has stated retreat from international match after taking part in bringing Italy to the World Cup champion in 2006. But this 33-year-old players are still willing to re-strengthen the Azzurri squad if he was fit and was called by Lippi.

Nevertheless, Lippi do not want to open briefly about Totti’s chance to call into the squad to be brought to South Africa. "Totti? Wait till May 11 when we send you a list of 30 players to FIFA," he said as quoted by Reuters.

"You could see it later. I do not have plans to visit Rome but there are telephone and email," said Lippi.

Totti has gone through some injuries last year. But this Prince of Rome has been fit. He helped Il Lupo to be Scudetto in the competition and has scored 12 goals this season.

Lippi will call 30 players before 23 players selected to play in World Cup 2010 from June 11st until July 11st in South Africa. Italy will be in Group F along with Paraguay, New Zealand and Slovakia.

The Official South Africa 2010 World Cup logo meaning

The official logo for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa is generally depicted as a big party that was held in the wild world and energetic flavor.

Graphic figures in the logo are a human image than can be easily found on rock paintings which is also one of South Africa's biggest cultural heritage.

The figure is depicted doing a bicycle kick, a soccer playing style that captures the African soccer talent.


The figure is depicted clearly, energetically and indirectly implies a strong desire to play good football. And kicking the ball upward is an invitation from Africa to all nations of the world to play with them.


The ball kicked in the logo is the embodiment of modern football and meaning that the world football is under FIFA world football frame. For the first time the World Cup comes to African land. The official ball used in the World Cup in 2010 was named Jabulani.

Inside the official logo depicted a colorful background that shows South Africa's national flag colors. Curved streaks from the bottom up has a meaning of “from south to north” and “reach the entire world”.

The background arising the energy, diversity and passion of South Africa, it also symbolizes the rebirth of the country which often called the rainbow nation.

2010 is the unique, energetic and dynamic number. Graphically covers the entire continent of Africa which is inspiring, rich and full of ancestor’s heritage.

The font shown is created originally. The font reflects the personality and determination of ideas that uniquely always done by South African.

The font also symbolizes the game passion of South Africans and a free spirit. While the bold in letters symbolize the courage, the welcome and hospitality.

Orange Team without Nistelroy?

Ruud van Nistelrooy should slowly forget the ambition to be played in the World Cup 2010. This Hamburg SV striker was not listed in the shadow team of the Dutch squad that prepared to South Africa.

Nistelrooy has decided to retire from the Dutch national team after Euro 2008. However, this 33 years old striker ever declare if he still had a desire to defend his country in the upcoming World Cup.


That’s why he decided to leave Real Madrid and joined Hamburg, for the sake of getting chance to play more and show if he has not been exhausted. But his efforts has not shown the desired results up to the present.

Quoted from Reuters, Nistelrooy's name was not included in the list of players that coach Bert van Marwijk included in the training center which will be performed in order to prepare the squad to face World Cup. Currently there are 26 names total already called by van Marwijk.

Some players who called in to The Dutch shadow team were his colleagues in Hamburg as Eljero Elia and Joris Mathijsen. There are also new faces, that is Jeremain Lens (AZ Alkmaar) and Vurnon Anita (Ajax Amsterdam).

Somehow, van Marwijk has not also include big name players because the scrolling competition in many European countries have not completed. Mark van Bommel and Dutch star Wesley Sneijder is not yet included in the shadow squad.

The Chronicle of the Red-Yellow Card

Do the use of red and yellow cards already known when modern football born? The answer is no. New red and yellow cards introduced in the 1970 World Cup.

However, the inspiration came from the 1966 World Cup, the quarter-final between England host the Argentine opponent. The referee who led the match was from Germany, namely Rudolf Kreitlein.

Because of the hard foul, Argentine captain, Antonio Rattin, expelled by Kreitlein. However, Rattin did not understand what the referee meant. He did not immediately leave the field.

The referee in charge of England who took part in the game, Ken Aston, then go into the field. With a bit of Spanish speaking ability, he seduced Rattin to leave the field, because Rudolf Kreitlein decided so. Because just speak German and English, he was having difficulty explaining his decision to Rattin.

Since this case, Ken Aston was thinking later. There should be a universal communication that can be immediately known to everyone, when the referee gives a warning to the player or expel him from the field, without having to make an explanation in a language that may can not be understood by the players.

One day, he stopped at the cross road. Looking at the traffic light (red light), he then got the idea. Then he suggested that referees given a yellow card and red. Yellow card to warn hard or mild sanctions to players who commit foul. While the red card for serious sanctions and the players who did it should get out of the field.

The idea was accepted by FIFA. At the 1970 World Cup, yellow and red cards for the first time used. Ironically, during the World Cup in 1970 none of the players affected by the red card. Only a yellow card pocketed out. Thus, a red card can not "show off" at the 1970 World Cup.

Though the idea came from the British referee, but the country itself does not necessarily apply them in their competition. Red and yellow cards had been used in English football competition in 1976. Since then the referee is too easy to eject the card, and protested by a lot of players, so it’s use was suspended in 1981 and 1987.

Interestingly, this idea was adopted by hockey sport. Even it uses three colors of cards, as traffic light did: green, yellow, and red. Green for warning, yellow for expelling a player a while, and red to permanently expel players.

Côte d'Ivoire targeting the Runner-up

Côte d'Ivoire national team coach, Sven Goran Eriksson admitted his team was in the hard group in 2010 World Cup. But he sure could reach at least the runner-up position, so that could qualify for the next round.

Côte d'Ivoire is in Group G along with Brazil, Portugal, and North Korea. For Eriksson, meet Portugal is quite emotional, when dealing with England, his team is always defeated Portugal in the European Cup in 2004 and 2006 World Cup on penalties.

"The first match versus Portugal is important to us. I am waiting it, but first we must make a good preparations. There is no sense of revenge. Inevitably, there will be no penalties again," revealed Eriksson.

"Theoretically, Brazil is the favorite to become the champion and the group runners-up position will be a bone of contention of Côte d'Ivoire, Portugal, or North Korea. But, it's theoretical," he added.

Eriksson remains optimistic that the squad can achieve the 2010 World Cup quarter-final.
"If we can reach the quarter-finals, I think everyone will think this is a great success of the team of African origin. This is our main target," he said.

In this qualification group stage, only the first and second order are eligible to pass to the next round. "I do not know whether the third ranked order for this team is a failure or not. But, I do not think about it. We must fight and believe that we were able to get through this group and get the results even further, of course," he explain his determination.

Jo'Bulani, the world cup's final match ball

FIFA have set up a special ball for the World Cup final match in 2010. Carrying the name of Jo'Bulani, the ball is the latest version of Jabulani, a gold decorated around it.

Jo'Bulani name was deliberately chosen as a respect for the City of Johannesburg, where final match will be held. The Largest city in South Africa has been also known as the 'City of Gold' and Jo'burg.

Quoted from the official FIFA website, the new ball, Tuesday (20/04/2010) officially introduced and still has the graphic patterns that represent the African continent, as encountered in Jabulani. The difference is that now the golden yellow color is more dominant.

Both Jabulani and Jo'Bulani have the latest technology known as "Grip'n'Groove". This Adidas made ball is claimed to have a stable rate and a much better grip. The ball is also claimed by the maker as the most rounded ball ever made.

Issuing a special ball for the final round is not the first time Adidas did. At the last World Cup in 2006, this German company issued a ‘Teamgeist Berlin' for the final match between France vs. Italy.

Lega Calcio: Laziale will support Inter Milan?

Inter Milan will visit the Olimpico stadium to face Lazio this evening in their crucial weeks. Reported that the host supporters will provide moral support for Jose Mourinho's squad.

Football Italy reported, Sunday (02/05/2010), Lazio hardliners fans are planning to install a special banner to honor the Inter’s coach Mourinho, who with his troops would face Tomasso Rocchi and friends.

What does the banner says? A positive statement for the 'Special One. "We respect Mourinho, a true man in the world of false football."

The most easily understood content of the message is that Laziale unwell mostly when AS Roma became the champion. Currently their sworn enemies is leading the standings but can go down again in the second position if Inter beat Lazio.

Some Roma’s player itself shamelessly ask for Lazio’s help to inhibit Inter in their matches tonight. One of them is midfielder Daniele de Rossi.


"Will I be encouraged Lazio tonight? Of course. Forza Lazio!" he said. "I do not see any reason why they did not make the effort as Parma did against us last night. Even they should be more motivated because they are not safe yet from the threat of degradation."

Lazio officially made no comment about the feud between Roma and Inter. They just said they would play properly as it should be.

World Cup : Switch off Rooney and UK will off

United States coach, Bob Bradley, commenting England as a team that could be conquered. How? Easy, just switch Wayne Rooney's movement off!

U.S. and the UK joined in Group C along with two other teams; Algeria and Slovenia. ' Uncle Sam Team ' and ' Three Lions Team ' is scheduled to face each other at the premiere party group, namely on 12 June at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium.

Bradley hopes his team can win this match. Earning three points on their opening match, mean a good start, and the U.S. just need one victory to get away from the group phase.

This 52-years-old coach was sure, the key to stem the UK depends on how they stop Rooney. Bradley also thanking to the fact that Rooney's injury is disturbed often lately.

"His performance is magnificent. But later he was intercepted by the injury and that is where it all started," he said as quoted by Reuters.

"We felt that we were in a tight group, but we have a good chance to escape," believes Bradley.

Rooney's appearances throughout the season is definitely worth to watch by the opponents. This 24-year-old attacker was collected 34 goals in all competitions, enough to give any message to any back defender that he deserves a full supervised.

Barca's Failure is a warning to Spain

Dominating the game and the ball possession, Barcelona forced to surrender to Inter Milan in the Champions League. The result, that called Vicente Del Bosque could happen in the World Cup, later, in Spanish team.

Make more shots on goal and posses the ball more than 75% in the two games, Barcelona still unable to beat Inter. Champions League final tickets finally pocketed by Nerazzurri with 3-2 aggregate advantage.

Such result is confessed by Del Bosque as an important lesson for the Spanish national team ahead of World Cup.

"That is a reflection of what could happen to us and about what actually the football is. The team which is technically superior ... a team that dominates everything (but) not able to reap victory. I think this warning comes at the right time and we could not hush, "said this Spain's coach at Yahoosports.


In the World Cup 2010, Spain's national team will be strengthened by many Barcelona players. Starting from Carles Puyol and Pique Gerrard on the front lines up to trio of Andres Iniesta, Xavi Hernandez and Sergio Basquets.

And what happened at the last Confederations Cup is a real example if Barca on Inter's defeat could be happened also in Spain. In South Africa, the middle of last year, Furio La Roja defeated by United States 0-2 in a match that totally dominated by Spain.

At that time, Spain had 29 shots versus only 9 shots to their goalkeeper. But Iker Casillas and friends must abide by the two goals coming from the counter attacks.

"Every team that works together and come together and have the energy to be able to attack through the counter attack ave every opportunity to cause the damage. In football you can not survive with what you've done yesterday, you must have the desire (to grow) and should be prepared to face difficulties , " the former Real Madrid boss concluded.

Champion League Semifinals: Internazionale played negative football?

I'm intrigued by a review of the commentators of Barcelona vs. Inter Milan at the private TV which broadcast the match exclusively this evening.

The commentators - I don’t care whether true or not, may be a buff-Barca. At the end of the game he looks highlighting the problem that was exhibited Inter survive. "Inter played pragmatic football tend to be negative. They do not even intend to play in the second round, "he said.

Pragmatic? Negatives? Not playing soccer? C'mon ...

I am not an observer or a reliable football analyzer as the commentators. My knowledge about football superficial, limited to fans and the watcher on the screen.

If literally interpreted, it is clear that Inter obviously not playing pragmatic football. Inter did not appear practical, let alone useful, for me as a spectator.

But, Who knows about the contents of Jose Mourinho’s head? Who knows the strategy prepared by this Portugal's coach? Why did he choose such a strategy?

Mou certainly know the power, advantages and disadvantages, owned by his squad. With the experience and achievements in FC Porto, Chelsea and now Inter, Mou -also I believe-would know Barca’s skill. And I am absolutely sure, The Special One also knows the risk to play, whatever the strategy he choose..
But again, do we know the real contents of Mou’s brain to face the match in the Nou Camp this evening? No, nobody knows.

A few minutes after the match, a friend of me made a status on his facebook; "The new Mourinho’s strategy 10-0-0, not cool at all!"
Yep, it's dreadful to see a game where there is only one team that attacked the team while others just offensive. It must be admitted the game had become less attractive. When viewed from the ball Possession is true; 75 percent of Barca and only 25 percent of Inter.
But how deffensive what Rubin Kazan or Dynamo Kiev did when facing Barcelona in the group phase? Or, what VfB Stuttgart’s coach Christian Gross and Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger think the “right” strategy to face El Barca?

From the Barca side, I have to lift the two thumbs. Who could criticize the appearance of a team that bought up 83 goals in La Liga arena this season? But facing Inter – the team that also the hero in scoring the Serie A with 68 goals- Barca’s players seemed to lose the sense through the Barca penalty box.

If allowed for me to say, Pep Guardiola this evening showed the formation of 'best offensive' teams he's ever done as Barca coach. Trio -Pedro, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Lionel Messi – were played since the beginning. In the second half he put Bojan Krkic and Pep Jeffren Suarez. Even if you want to watch deeper , center back Gerard Pique also acts as an extra striker at the end game.

The result? Oops, sorry ... just one goal only.
For me, all because of “Mourinho factor” that is able to beautifully read the Barca’s close, effective, and super offensive game. Esteban Cambiasso, Christian Chivu, and Welsey Barca midfielder Sneijder restrain movement. Walter Samuel and Lucio -plus Ivan Cordoba –became three bars guarding the door of Julio Cesar's goal.

In the end, Barcelona who played good football,offensive, positive, non-pragmatic, must accept that they are failed . Inter, like it or not, inevitably, is the team that goes to the final. So the upcoming May 22 we will see the match of Internazionale Milan vs Bayern Munich. That’s all folks!