Italy lose Vieri, Totti doubtful

Christian Vieri has been ruled out of Giovanni Trapattoni's Italy squad for the EURO 2004™ qualifiers against Yugoslavia in Naples on Saturday and Wales in Cardiff the following Wednesday. However, the coach has gambled on Francesco Totti and Filippo Inzaghi despite minor injuries.

Prolific form
Vieri, the 29-year-old Internazionale FC striker, is still unavailable after twisting his left ankle a week ago while Inzaghi, who is in prolific form for AC Milan, was doubtful with a foot injury but should be fit to link up with Juventus FC's Alessandro Del Piero in attack.

Fitness monitored
Totti, the AS Roma captain, has been called up despite suffering a recurrence of the knee injury that hindered his pre-season preparation. Both Totti and Inzaghi will have their fitness closely monitored throughout the week. Marco Materazzi and Francesco Toldo are left out of the squad as they are suffering leg and hip injuries respectively and - along with Vieri - missed their side's 4-1 win at Piacenza FC yesterday.

First call for Ferrari
Milan's Andrea Pirlo - the most likely candidate to replace an injured Totti - is once again in the squad after impressing on his debut last month in Italy's 2-0 Group 9 win over Azerbaijan. There is also a first call-up for 23-year-old Parma AC defender Matteo Ferrari, and Christian Abbiati of Milan is preferred to Francesco Toldo as cover for Juventus's Gianluigi Buffon in goal.

Marazzina preferred
In attack AC Chievo Verona forward Andrea Marazzina has been selected ahead of the Middlesbrough FC striker Massimo Maccarone as a replacement for Vieri.

Italy squad
Abbiati, Buffon, Adani, Cannavaro, Coco, Ferrari, Iuliano, Nesta, Oddo, Panucci, Zauri, Ambrosini, Di Biagio, Doni, Gattuso, Pirlo, Tommasi, Del Piero, F Inzaghi, Marazzina, Montella, Totti.