Italy's World Cup preparations were thrown into disarray when midfielder Gennaro Gattuso aggravated a right leg injury during the squad's final training session in Italy, ruling him out of their Group E opener against Ghana on Monday. The AC Milan veteran, capped 41 times, could also sit out the June 17 match against the United States.
Italy were already short-handed before Gattuso's setback. Juventus defender Gianluca Zambrotta had previously been sidelined with a left thigh strain, and defender Alessandro Nesta remained doubtful due to a muscular complaint. Striker Francesco Totti, recovering from a broken fibula sustained in February, had managed only one full match heading into the tournament.
Gattuso, known for his relentless energy and combative style, vowed to remain part of the squad despite the injury. Simone Perrotta, the likeliest candidate to fill Gattuso's midfield role, acknowledged he was not a natural flank player but said he had experience in that position at Roma and was prepared to contribute.
Zambrotta's spot in defense is expected to go to either Massimo Oddo of Lazio or Cristian Zaccardo of Palermo. The Italian squad departed from Pisa for Dusseldorf, Germany, as the coaching staff assessed their options ahead of the opening fixture.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in June 2006, in its own words.