Euro 2012 qualifier preview: Italy v Estonia

Italy can continue their unbeaten record in Euro 2012 qualifying when they face Estonia in Modena in Group C on Friday.

Cesare Prandelli’s side have won four of their five matches so far and top the group by five points, with Estonia six points behind the leaders in fourth.

Prandelli has selected a strong squad for the visit of Estonia, in what he describes as a ‘decisive’ match.

“Estonia is going to be the decisive game,” Prandelli said.

“I want a group prepared to graft. We’ve always struggled when we play in June and September.”

Prandelli has tasted defeat just once as national team boss, that coming in August when Italy were defeated 1-0 by the Ivory Coast in a friendly.

That was his first match in charge, but Prandelli has since shown he is not afraid to make the big decisions, highlighted by his choice not to include Roma midfielder Daniele De Rossi in the squad for Friday’s match.

“I’m sorry to have to say this, but De Rossi has not been left out for technical reasons,” he said, alluding to De Rossi’s three-match ban for elbowing in a Serie A match in March.

“He’ll have to get back the consistency and concentration he seems to have lost in recent months. The door will always be open for Daniele, but there are forms of behaviour on the field I just won’t stand for, and I’ve been saying this since day one.”

Italy have winning form against Estonia, having won the reverse fixture 2-1 in Tallinn in September thanks to goals from Antonio Cassano and Leonardo Bonucci.

Cassano is likely to partner former Sampdoria team-mate Giampaolo Pazzini up front, while Alberto Aquilani, Claudio Marchisio and Riccardo Montolivo are likely to start in Italy’s midfield.

Estonia will miss several of their big names, with top scorer Konstantin Vassiljev ruled out through suspension and Aleksandr Dmitrijev, Andres Oper and Andrei Sidorenkov all absent through injury. Middlesbrough’s Tarmo Kink will feature, however.

With four points from their last two matches against Serbia and a 2-0 friendly win over Uruguay in March, Estonia at least have confidence ahead of the tough trip to Italy.