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Played
September 6, 2011 7:45 PM BST
Stadio Artemio Franchi — Firenze
Referee: S. Moen
Attendance: 18000
September 6, 2011 7:45 PM BST
Stadio Artemio Franchi — Firenze
Referee: S. Moen
Attendance: 18000
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| Italy | 1.42 | 3.40 | 1.38 | 4.33 | 1.44 | 1.35 | 1.01 | 1.42 | 1.35 |
| Draw | 4.35 | 1.33 | 4.33 | 1.33 | 4.00 | 4.25 | 14.00 | 4.20 | 4.40 |
| Slovenia | 7.70 | 13.00 | 8.75 | 12.00 | 8.50 | 9.50 | 200.00 | 9.00 | 9.00 |
Italy - Slovenia Preview: Cesare Prandelli's side looking to book place at Euro 2012 with a win
The hosts look to seal their place in next year's European Championships by picking up an invaluable three points against a Slovenian side gunning for the runners-up spot
By Livio Caferoglu
Getty Images
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PROBABLE LINEUPS |
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ITALY
 Buffon Cassani, Ranocchia, Chiellini, Criscito Pirlo, De Rossi, Motta Montolivo Cassano, Rossi |
SLOVENIA
 Handanovic Brecko, Cesar, Ilic, Jokic Koren, Radosavlevic, Ilicic, Birsa Novakovic, Matavz |
It is likely that La Nazionale will make a change in defence, where Mattia Cassani should replace Christian Maggio at right-back. The new Fiorentina man hinted that he could be given a chance in the side after expressing his hope at being presented in Florence on Tuesday night after completing his transfer. However, Cesare Prandelli has also indicated that he will not make any major changes to the line-up that struggled to beat Faroe Islands.
Slovenia are expected to name the same team that surprisingly lost to Estonia last week, which may prove to be a significant blow to their qualifying aspirations. However, it is still a very strong squad they possess, which includes five Serie A representatives and two Eredivisie performers in their ranks, aswell as the odd Bundesliga and Belgian Pro League talent.
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DID YOU KNOW? |
- Italy coach Prandelli returned to Fiorentina for his first home qualifier as national team boss, in a 5-0 victory against the Faroe Islands on 7 September last year.
- They prevailed 1-0 when they met Slovenia in Ljubljana on 25 March, where Brazilian-born Thiago Motta (pictured right) scored the only goal of the game on his Azzurri debut.
- Italy's record in six games against their neighbours from the west reads three wins, one defeat and two losses, with two wins coming on home soil.
- All five meetings since their first encounter have been settled by a single goal.
- The countries last met on October 8 2005 for the 2006 World Cup qualifiers, with the game finishing 1-1 as Bostjan Cesar scored a late equaliser for the hosts.
- Italy top Group C with 16 points from their six matches to date, while Slovenia lie in second, five points behind their opponents.
- Slovenia contain five players who ply their trade in Italy: Samir Handanovic, Valter Birsa, Bojan Jokic, Bostjan Cesar and Josip Ilicic.
- The Slovenians have won just one of their last four qualifiers, with Northern Ireland lurking just two points behind them, with a game in hand.
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Field Report
Reader's Predictions
Top 3 Predictions
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Italy 2-0 Slovenia
- 33.17 %
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Italy 3-0 Slovenia
- 15.85 %
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Italy 1-0 Slovenia
- 12.26 %
| Euro 2012 (EC) | 6 Sep 2011 | Italy 1 - Slovenia 0 |
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| Euro 2012 (EC) | 25 Mar 2011 | Slovenia 0 - Italy 1 |
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Italy
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| 1 Jun 2012 | Italy 0 - Russia 3 | FR |
| 29 Feb 2012 | Italy 0 - USA 1 | FR |
| 15 Nov 2011 | Italy 0 - Uruguay 1 | FR |
| 11 Nov 2011 | Poland 0 - Italy 2 | FR |
| 11 Oct 2011 | Italy 3 - Northern Ireland 0 | EC |
Slovenia
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| 26 May 2012 | Greece 1 - Slovenia 1 | FR |
| 29 Feb 2012 | Slovenia 1 - Scotland 1 | FR |
| 15 Nov 2011 | Slovenia 2 - USA 3 | FR |
| 11 Oct 2011 | Slovenia 1 - Serbia 0 | EC |
| 6 Sep 2011 | Italy 1 - Slovenia 0 | EC |
| Returns: | Italy £43.30 |
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| Returns: | Draw £42.00 |
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Sign up with 188BET for a FREE bet up to £25 – Great Prices, Every Game | |
| Returns: | Slovenia £130.00 |
|
Open an account with Sportingbet today and get up to £50 in free bets! |
| 1 | Gianluigi Buffon | Goalkeeper |
| 3 | Giorgio Chiellini | Defender |
| 6 | Federico Balzaretti | Defender |
| - | Andrea Ranocchia | |
| - | Mattia Cassani | |
| 16 | Daniele De Rossi | Midfielder |
| 5 | Thiago Motta | Midfielder |
| 18 | Riccardo Montolivo | Midfielder |
| 21 | Andrea Pirlo | Midfielder |
| 10 | Antonio Cassano | Striker |
| - | Giuseppe Rossi | |
| 14 | Morgan De Sanctis | Goalkeeper |
| - | Domenico Criscito | |
| 19 | Leonardo Bonucci | Defender |
| 8 | Claudio Marchisio | Midfielder |
| 23 | Antonio Nocerino | Midfielder |
| - | Giampaolo Pazzini | |
| 9 | Mario Balotelli | Striker |
| 12 | Jasmin Handanoviç | Goalkeeper |
| 2 | Miso Brecko | Defender |
| 4 | Marko Suler | Defender |
| 5 | Bostjan Cesar | Defender |
| 13 | Bojan Jokic | Defender |
| - | Robert Koren | |
| 17 | Andraz Kirm | Midfielder |
| - | Aleksander Radosavljevic | Midfielder |
| - | Dare Vrsic | Midfielder |
| 10 | Valter Birsa | Midfielder |
| - | Milivoje Novakovic | |
| - | Vid Belec | Goalkeeper |
| - | Branko Ilic | |
| - | Matej Mavric | |
| - | Josip Iličič | Midfielder |
| - | Nejc Pecnik | |
| 23 | Tim Matavz | Striker |
| 14 | Zlatko Dedic | Striker |
| Antonio Cassano | |
| Position: | Striker |
| Squad Number: | 10 |
| Games | Goals | YC | RC |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The No.10 has been in sparkling form for Italy since his return to the international set-up under Cesare Prandelli, and he should display his importance to the Azzurri cause once again with another potential match-winning performance.
Flourishing in his new striking role, rather than his original position of trequartista that he is not cut out for, his intelligence and unpredictable nature in and around the box are sure to provide a genuine goal threat to the Slovenians.
Flourishing in his new striking role, rather than his original position of trequartista that he is not cut out for, his intelligence and unpredictable nature in and around the box are sure to provide a genuine goal threat to the Slovenians.
| Tim Matavz | |
| Position: | Striker |
| Squad Number: | 23 |
| Games | Goals | YC | RC |
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| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The forward is the hottest property in Dutch football after recently completing a move to giants PSV Eindhoven from Groningen, where he scored an impressive 20 goals for the struggling Eredivisie outfit.
His career path seems very similar to that of a certain Luis Suarez, who also earned a move from his native country and used Groningen as a stepping stone to bigger things.
A real handful with his towering presence and predatory instincts, he has already broken records by becoming Slovenia's youngest-ever player to register a hat-trick.
His career path seems very similar to that of a certain Luis Suarez, who also earned a move from his native country and used Groningen as a stepping stone to bigger things.
A real handful with his towering presence and predatory instincts, he has already broken records by becoming Slovenia's youngest-ever player to register a hat-trick.
Italy's annual difficult start to a new campaign continues to faze them, but it won't stop them in picking up the elusive victory to send them to Poland and Ukraine next year. Although Slovenia will push them very hard, as they have a qualifying campaign to salvage, it is that bit of craft and star quality from the hosts that should see them prevail.
However, the Italian's defence looked shaky at times at the Faroes, and the likes of Matavz and Ilicic could make it a long night.
However, the Italian's defence looked shaky at times at the Faroes, and the likes of Matavz and Ilicic could make it a long night.
Match News
