There is some promising attackers emerging in Italy, insists Paolo Rossi

Paulo Rossi: Italy strikers have great potential

Sep 14, 2012 1:10:00 AM

The Azzurri legend has lavished praise on the rising young attackers on the peninsula but believes in Europe, Serie A giants AC Milan will struggle to make an impact

World Cup winner Paolo Rossi is enthused by the array of attacking talent emerging in Italy.

The legendary Italian striker become a hero with the Azzuri faithful after galvanising his side to World Cup success in 1982, scoring a hat-trick against Brazil along the way.

Now the 55-year-old, sees a promising future unfolding with plenty of young striking options coming through the ranks ready to make their mark on the international stage.

“This is a good moment for our football in terms of attackers,” the former Juventus striker told Tuttosport.

“I really like Roma’s Mattia Destro, Fabio Borini of Liverpool and Napoli’s Lorenzo Insigne, who are all in the national set-up now.

“Every now and again I also follow Ciro Immobile. He’s certainly another very interesting element. You can see that he is hungry for goals and wants to leave his mark.”

Moving away from strikers, Rossi was also full of praise for Paris Saint-Germain's new signing, Marco Verratti.

“There really are a lot of options right now,” he continued.

“And, although he’s not an attacker, let me say that PSG’s Marco Verratti is a really promising midfielder.”

When asked about Milan and how they will fare this season following a summer of great change in terms of personnel, Rossi was sceptical.

"It 's too early to tell. The club has changed a lot. Perhaps too much all at once: ten great players left at the same time. They were all big shots. When players like Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva are sold, it definitely affects the quality of the team," he added.

"In the last week of the transfer market, Milan tried desperately to make some signings. It is hard to say if they did enough in the end. You have to wait a few weeks. But, certainly the team is not as competitive as in the recent past when they boasted teams that aimed to win every competition.

"It will be a year of transition. But they can do well. Adriano Galliani is right when he says that Milan can fight on par with anyone in Italy. But, not in Europe, not any longer can they compete."

Rossi then revealed his favourites for this year's Champions League, and he could not look past the two Spanish giants.

"I would say Real Madrid, Barcelona and Manchester United," he added.

"Then a group of outsiders represented by Bayern Munich, Manchester City and Paris Saint Germain.

"I hope Ancelotti does well with PSG. Carlo is a great manager, with a great ability to communicate. He is among the best Italian coaches I have seen. As for Italy's prospects, I can see Juventus doing well."

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German giants Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund will battle it out at Wembley for European glory. Get involved by sending us your thoughts via Twitter or Facebook! Hosted by Mark Doyle.

5:34 PM BST

The aforementioned Gotze deal, and the way in which it was leaked to the press on the eve of Dortmund’s Champions League semi-final, first-leg clash with Madrid, has only intensified the antipathy between the two clubs, while, as you can see from the photo below, the man at the centre of the transfer has inevitably been caught in the crossfire. This is all nothing new, of course. Bayern may have loaned a cash-strapped Dortmund money a decade ago but the pair have been locked in a vicious – but entertaining – war of words in the wake of die Schwarzgelben’s subsequent re-emergence as a major force, and Daniel Buse and Enis Koylu have catalogued the best quotes here.

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Right, still plenty of time to go until kick-off, so why not get involved in our Champions League quiz on Twitter? Here's one to start you off:

After tonight, how many Champions League/European Cup finals will Bayern Munich have played in?

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Bayern, as already alluded to, are desperate to atone for defeat against Chelsea 12 months ago and one man who knows all about the agony and ecstasy of Champions League finals is former die Roten defender Samuel Kuffour. The Ghanaian beating the ground in fury after seeing his side concede twice in injury time at the end of the 1999 tournament decider against Manchester United remains one of the most memorable images in the competition’s history, so check out our exclusive interview with Kuffour, who would achieve redemption just two years later when Bayern edged out Valencia on penalties.

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However, who doesn't feel anything by admiration for Jupp Heynckes? The Bayern coach learned earlier this year that he would be replaced by former Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola earlier this summer but did he let it affect him? Not a bit, with Heynckes now on the verge of a historic treble. Worth noting, too, that Heynckes, who led Madrid to the title in 1998 before being replaced by Fabio Capello, has never failed to reach the final of any Champions League in which he has taken part.

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Klopp, of course, is the new darling of the football media. It’s pretty damn impossible not to love a man who speaks so passionately - and amusingly - about the game. This week alone he admitted that so distraught was he by the news of Gotze’s imminent departure for Bayern, whom he views as the villain in a James Bond movie, that he had to cancel plans with his wife to attend a movie premiere because he didn’t want to have to talk to anyone. Seriously, how could any real football fan not be a 'Klopptomist'?!

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