GEORGIA: SOCCER - World champions Italy arrive in Georgia for their Euro 2008 qualifying match

World champions Italy arrived in Tbilisi on Monday (October 9) for their Euro 2008 Group B qualifying match against Georgia which will take place on Wednesday (October 11). The Italians were driven from Tbilisi airport in a pink-coloured bus watched by a group of fans. The bus drove them to their hotel in the city. On Saturday the team gave coach Roberto Donadoni his first win since taking over from Marcello Lippi following July's World Cup final triumph. Italy beat Ukraine 2-0. The win, combined with France's loss to Scotland, gave the Azzurri's qualification campaign a needed boost after their 1-1 draw with Lithuania and 3-1 defeat to France in Paris last month but Donadoni sees plenty of obstacles still in the way. Donadoni will make at least once change for the game in Georgia -- midfielder Gennaro Gattuso is suspended and so Simone Perrotta will likely return to the starting line-up in a three-man midfield alongside Andrea Pirlo and Daniele De Rossi. If Donadoni opts for a fourth midfielder then Juventus winger Mauro Camoranesi could come in for striker Vincenzo Iaquinta while Udinese's Antonio Di Natale is competing for a place in attack alongside Luca Toni. Georgia's German manager Klaus Toppmoeller is also missing several key players out through injury and suspension. Top striker Shota Arveladze, who notched a hat-trick in a 6-0 thrashing of the Faroe Islands in Georgia's Euro 2008 opener two months ago, defender Malkhaz Asatiani and goalkeeper Nukri Revishvili have all been ruled out with various injuries while influential midfielder Levan Tskitishvili is doubtful after suffering a concussion in Saturday's 2-0 friendly defeat to Germany. Shalke 04 midfielder Levan Kobiashvili, Spartak Nalchik midfielder Gogita Gogua and striker Georgi Demetradze are all suspended for Wednesday's match. Italy will be expecting to maintain their unbeaten record against Georgia, having won three and drawn one match against them in four matches -- all World Cup qualifiers -- since they first met in Perugia 10 years ago this week. Probable teams: Georgia: Georgi Lomaia; Zurab Khizanishvili, Kakha Kaladze, Zurab Menteshashvili, Otar Khizaneishvili, Davit Kvirkvelia, Jaba Kankava, Mate Gviniadze, Levan Tskitishvili or Ilia Kandelaki; Alexandre Iashvili, Irakli Modebadze. Italy: Gianluigi Buffon; Massimo Oddo, Fabio Cannavaro, Marco Materazzi, Gianluca Zambrotta; Simone Perrotta, Andrea Pirlo, Daniele De Rossi; Vincenzo Iaquinta, Luca Toni, Alessandro Del Piero. Referee: Mike Riley (England)

ITN Source | October 10, 2006

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