Prandelli: Italy would quit Euros if asked
Reuters - Friday 01 June 2012, 10:51
Italy would quit the European
Championship if they were asked to do so for the good of the
game, coach Cesare Prandelli said on Friday after match-fixing
allegations again tarnished the Azzurri's image.
"If they would say to us that for the good of football the
national team must not go to the Euros, it would not be a
problem," Prandelli told Rai television a week before the
tournament starts in Ukraine and Poland.
Neither European governing body UEFA nor the Italian football
federation have suggested Italy pull out of the tournament but
Prandelli is preparing himself nevertheless.
"There are more important things," he added.
Left-back Domenico Criscito was left out of the Euro 2012
squad earlier this week after police formally warned him that he
was under investigation over match-fixing.
Goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and defender Leonardo Bonucci,
both in the squad ahead of Italy opening their Group C campaign
against holders Spain on June 10, have denied reports they have
been involved in illegal betting.
"I want to talk only about football but what is happening
requires us to discuss something different. We continue to say
that those involved will not leave for the Euros," Prandelli
added before defending Juventus pair Buffon and Bonucci.
"Buffon is very strong, he has great personality," he said.
"The Juventus players, until proven otherwise, have not been
put under formal investigation."
Italy's 2006 World Cup triumph followed another major
match-fixing scandal and pundits said the bond within the squad
created by the affair helped them in their success.