Courtesy: UEFA.com

Note: due to the fact that this report has been written before the end of the past season, some indications will result as wrong

Team Profile: Italy

Italy was one of the first countries in Europe to embrace futsal as a competitive sport so it is appropriate that in 2003 they were added to the roll of honour as continental champions. The Italian championship began in 1983, won by Roma Barilla, although the first Azzurri team in the international ranks did beat Libya 9-2 in the capital, Rome, in July 1974. However, they began playing in earnest in 1981 and the following year were eighth in the inaugural unofficial world cup. They also entered the first FIFA event in 1989, reaching the second group stage.

However, things really took off when the 32-year-old Alessandro Nuccorini became coach in July 1997. Two years later they reached the semi-finals of the inaugural UEFA European Futsal Championship and repeated the trick a year later, losing to Spain and Ukraine respectively. In 2003 Italy were chosen as hosts and took full advantage of that honour with victory in Caserta. The next year Spain beat them in the 2004 FIFA World Cup final, a feat they replicated in the 2007 European decider. Nuccorini stepped down this year, replaced by assistant Roberto Menichelli.

How they qualified
Italy travelled to Kaunas for Group 4 and opened with a comfortable 10-1 defeat of Georgia, Baptistella scoring a hat-trick as one of six players to find the target. That included Saad Assis and Assad Fabiano, who along with Batistella secured a 3-0 win against Belarus and qualification with a game to spare. Hosts Lithuania were then dispatched 6-0, Baptistella taking his personal mini-tournament tally to six goals with two more.

Key players
Baptistella stole the headlines during qualifying as the Arzignano Grifo C/5 striker, who helped Italy to 2008 World Cup bronze, scored six goals in three matches. Veteran goalkeeper Alexandre Feller remains a stalwart while Menichelli also expects much from captain Nando Grana, the most capped player, and another 2003 veteran, Luca Ippoliti.


Tournament record
2007: Runners-up
2005: Third place
2003: Winners (hosts)
2001: Fourth place
1999: Third place
1996: Fourth place


Coach Profile: Roberto Menichelli

Date of birth: 14 January 1963

Playing career: Almas Roma (football), Torrino SC, Roma Barilla, Helios, Villa Aurelia

Coaching career: Italy B, Italy Under-21, Italy

Roberto Menichelli had 13 years' experience, the whole of his coaching career, at the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) before stepping up to lead the national team last spring. A useful fourth-tier footballer with Almas Roma, he found most success in the small-sided game. He helped Torrino SC to the Italian title in 1993 and 1994 as well as five cup successes and was called 28 times, playing for the Azzurri at the 1992 FIFA Futsal World Cup in Hong Kong.

A graduate in Motor Science and a teacher at the Coverciano coaching school and the University Foro Italico in Rome, he has worked for the FIGC since 1996 in a number of roles. He was assistant and fitness coach of the senior futsal team under Alessandro Nuccorini, winners of the 2003 UEFA European Futsal Championship, and was technical assistant of the host nation at the football UEFA European Under-17 Championship in Italy. He also led the Under-21 side before stepping up to coach the senior squad after Nuccorini's departure on the eve of qualifying for this tournament. Initially in caretaker charge, victories against Georgia, Belarus and Lithuania took Italy to the finals and ensured Menichelli's own presence in Hungary.



Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com