Cesare Prandelli says his Italy team’s World Cup match with Uruguay tomorrow is the biggest of his professional career.
The Azzurri take on the South Americans in what is effectively a play-off for a place in the Last 16 of the competition and the Coach believes it is a scenario unlike any other he has previously faced.
Cesare Prandelli says his Italy team’s World Cup match with Uruguay tomorrow is the biggest of his professional career.
The Azzurri take on the South Americans in what is effectively a play-off for a place in the Last 16 of the competition and the Coach believes it is a scenario unlike any other he has previously faced.
“There aren’t similarities with other matches,” Prandelli told the media at a Press conference.
“It’s the most important match of my professional career.”
Ahead of the encounter in Natal, the tactician called on his team to match their opposition’s character and competitiveness.
“Tomorrow, in terms of character and competitiveness we will have to match them. Uruguay have more of a sense of being patriotic than us, as a nation.
“We need to go out on the pitch and show we are representing a country. If we lose a match, it must be because the opposition have been better.
“It must not be because we have not gone there to put up a fight.”
Finally, Prandelli was unsurprisingly in no mood to provide any clues as to what his starting line-up will be.
“There is no answer, I can’t say the team at this moment. It’s already a particularly difficult match, we will give teams the chance to dedicate time to their strategy and marking plans when the official line-ups are released.
“I don’t think that Uruguay will give their team today!”