Familiar foes ready to renew rivalry

Adversaries in some pivotal matches during their gilded playing days, Pierluigi Casiraghi and Stuart Pearce will lock horns again this evening when they lead out Italy and England for a game that will have a huge bearing on the outcome of Group B.

'Different perspectives'
One of the UEFA European Under-21 Championship favourites going into the tournament, the Azzurrini lost their opening fixture 1-0 to Serbia on Monday and Casiraghi is aware that a repeat against England in Arnhem could spell a premature end to their campaign. "This match will decide our destiny in this tournament," said the 38-year-old, who is likely be without No1 goalkeeper Gianluca Curci and Domenico Criscito as the pair struggle to recover from injury. "It means we will have a different perspective to England going into the match."

Tight groups
Pearce's team got their campaign under way with a hard-earned point against the Czech Republic but whatever happens in their second outing at the Gelredome their manager insists the section will only be decided with the final round of fixtures on Sunday. "If we win we'll be in a strong position but while it's an important game, I don't think it is make or break," said the former defender, an absentee in March when Giampaolo Pazzini scored a hat-trick for Italy in an entertaining 3-3 draw at the new Wembley. "When we came into the tournament we thought both groups would be very tight and that appears to be the case. Probably after two games there will still be a lot to play for."

Past encounters
It is a generous assessment from a man who gave very little away during his tenacious playing days and, asked whether he had ever faced Casiraghi before, Pearce dismissed the question with a vague "I think we have somewhere down the line but I don't remember where". His Italian counterpart was more emphatic, glancing at the England manager as he retorted: "I remember. And I think he remembers too." He certainly has reason to. The pair met twice at international level, with Casiraghi in the Italy side that claimed a 1-0 win at Wembley Stadium in qualifying for the 1998 FIFA World Cup in February 1997 before Pearce gained a measure of revenge four months later as England prevailed 2-0 in a friendly in France.

Tempo
Casiraghi's career ended in England with Chelsea FC, a collision with West Ham United FC goalkeeper Shaka Hislop causing irreparable damage to his knee in November 1998, yet he still looks on his time there with fondness. "It was a short experience but a good one," he reflected. "English football has improved a lot in the years since I played there though. Before there was an emphasis on the physical side but now they're working on the technical side of things." It is an ongoing process and Pearce is keen for his charges to learn from their mistakes on Monday. "We felt that the tempo we imposed on the game wasn't good enough to put the Czechs under any sort of pressure," said the 45-year-old, who will welcome back Steven Taylor after suspension though Anton Ferdinand remains doubtful. "There are times when you need to set a high tempo and at other times you need to slow that tempo down - we need to get a bit cuter." Victory against Italy would certainly be a step in the right direction.