[D-Kin]

U-21: Casiraghi focused on Faroes Tuesday 20 November, 2007

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Pierluigi Casiraghi wants his Azzurrini to stay focused against the Faroe Islands to cement their Euro 2009 qualification advantage.

Italy’s Under-21 side lead Greece by a point, but they have a game in hand after Croatia upset the Greeks last weekend.

Casiraghi’s men hammered Azerbaijan 5-0 on Friday, but they will have to do without a vast number of players for the trip to Torshavn.

Marco Rossi, Giuseppe Rossi, Claudio Marchisio, Marco Andreolli, Matteo Rubin and Francesco Pisano are injured, while Robert Acquafresca and Daniele Dessena are suspended.

“It would be a crucial win to keep us dominant at the top and to round off a very positive year in all respects,” Casiraghi stated.

Although the Italians will be huge favourites to take maximum points, they won’t underestimate a side that made them sweat in a 2-1 win in September.

“I’m sure that the Faroe Islands, who are welcoming back five suspended players, will give us as much trouble as they did in the first game,” the Azzurrini boss continued.

Casiraghi signed off by offering his congratulations to senior counterpart Roberto Donadoni.

“I’m happy for Donadoni because he has worked well and the success is thoroughly deserved,” he said.

“It is an important triumph for football in this country as a whole.”

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