Giorgio Chiellini has conceded that Italy need to take ‘good care’ of Gianluigi Buffon and Andrea Pirlo.
The Azzurri are currently on their way to Manaus to take on England in their World Cup opener on Saturday evening.
Giorgio Chiellini has conceded that Italy need to take ‘good care’ of Gianluigi Buffon and Andrea Pirlo.
The Azzurri are currently on their way to Manaus to take on England in their World Cup opener on Saturday evening.
And the defender has insisted that his club mates are ‘fundamental’ to the national team’s success.
“We had so much bad luck at the last World Cup, losing our two most important players to injury,” he told FIFA.com.
“It really had a negative impact on our campaign. But now that we’ve got them fit and firing again, we’re hoping to go much further, even though we’re in a tough group.
“Pirlo and Buffon are our most important players. They’ve got character and they make the whole team play, so we need to take good care of them.”
The 29-year-old then commented on the age of the two teams that will take to the pitch in the jungle.
“Our team’s a little bit younger than it was at Euro 2012, though I think England have gone even further than us in that respect.”