Italy ´motivated´ for Ukraine friendly

Italy manager Cesare Prandelli has rung the changes ahead of his side’s friendly against Ukraine in Kiev on Tuesday.

Prandelli has made seven changes to the team, with only four players retaining their spots in the starting line-up from Italy’s 1-0 win over Slovenia in a Euro 2012 qualifier on Friday.The lucky quartet comprises defenders Christian Maggio and Giorgio Chiellini and midfielders Roberto Aquilani and Riccardo Montolivo.Despite all the changes, Prandelli said his players are ready for the challenge and he expects his side to play to their best.”I have seen a motivated group. There is the desire to play,” Prandelli said. “We must erase the word friendly. I expect a real game. I want to see more running and penetration with respect to Friday. I expect the team to build from the back.”Prandelli declared he was delighted with the form of forward Giuseppe Rossi both for his club and in training, but was not prepared to comment extensively on striker Mario Balotelli’s latest indiscretion.Balotelli was caught throwing darts at youth players at Manchester City’s training ground on Sunday and when questioned why he was doing so, claimed he was ‘bored’.”I don’t know the details of the darts incident and I am not going to go into it a lot,” Prandelli said.”If he really said that he was bored, the next time he can call me and speak about other things … It’s clear that everyone is responsible for their own behaviour.””I want responsible players in the Italian national team. It will be on the pitch where I will understand if Mario is ready for this adventure with us. What he does off the pitch influences what he does on it. This way he only hurts himself.”Balotelli will not feature on Tuesday, with Prandelli opting to use Aquilani in and behind Rossi and Alberto Gilardino in the Italian side’s attack.Gilardino will captain Italy and described the prestige as a ‘great honour’ and referred to previous Italian captains Fabio Cannavaro and Gianluigi Buffon as inspiration to play well with the armband.Buffon will not start in Kiev, with Bologna’s Emilio Viviano to replace him in goal for the friendly.