Socrates

Pericolo Costarica.

Pirlo, il genio della lampada.

Il goal é maturo.

Gran bel passaggio di Pirlo ma Balotelli fallisce il vantaggio.

Thiago Motta sballa il tiro.

Sempre in fuorigioco Mario?

Non ti addormentare Mario!

Fastidiosi questi costaricchioni....

Diaz come Mario Merola, fa la sceneggiata.

Chiellini abbattuto.

Terna arbitrale di lingua spagnola, non saranno mica di parte?

Hanno uno che batte benissimo gli angoli. Pensaci Marotta!

Fesseria di Marchisio.

Ottimo Barzagli!

Costarica tutta in difesa. Marchisio in fuorigioco.

Magari!

Cosí quella prostituta ruba-mariti che c'é in studio si eccita.

Barzagli injury scare Jun 18, 2014 There are rumours emerging from the Italy camp that Andrea Barzagli will miss the game with Costa Rica. The Juventus defender has struggled with tendon problems all season and had been in doubt for the tournament. He played the full 90 minutes in a 2-1 victory over England on Saturday night and was expected to start again on Friday at 17.00 UK time. However, reports from the Italy camp this evening suggest Barzagli is feeling that pain in his Achilles tendon yet again. It means he’s likely to be replaced by Juventus teammate Leonardo Bonucci, partnering Giorgio Chiellini in the centre. Chiellini played left-back against England, but with Costa Rica it’s possible Matteo Darmian will switch over to the left, introducing Milan’s Ignazio Abate on the right. Italy probable: Sirigu; Abate, Bonucci, Chiellini, Darmian; De Rossi; Candreva, Thiago Motta, Pirlo, Marchisio; Balotelli

Buffon returns to Italy training The 36-year-old's injury is not as serious as first thought and there was also good news regarding Mattia De Sciglio, Daniele De Rossi and Andrea Barzagli. Jun 17, 2014 Italy have been given a huge boost ahead of their World Cup clash with Costa Rica after captain Gianluigi Buffon returned to training. The veteran goalkeeper sat out his country's 2-1 victory over England in Manaus last Saturday due to an ankle injury but Italy's team doctor Enrico Castellacci confirmed on Monday that he was hopeful Buffon would not miss any further games in Brazil. And the 36-year-old now appears to be in line for a return in Recife on Friday, with Mattia De Sciglio, Daniele De Rossi and Andrea Barzagli also playing some part in Tuesday's session. "Good news for Cesare Prandelli," the FIGC announced on its official website. "Buffon, De Sciglio, De Rossi and Barzagli returned from injury and are on the road to recovery." With all four players available to coach Cesare Prandelli, Italy were able to train together as a full squad for the first time since Buffon suffered his injury last Friday. “Right after the injury on Friday evening, [buffon] thought he had to leave the World Cup, but now as time passes he knows that this isn’t the case,” said Castellacci. "Yesterday he wasn’t able to play, he is in therapy and today we’ll do other checks and if necessary, other diagnostic tests. We will try to recover him as soon as possible even if his health is priority." Prandelli, though, may choose to leave the veteran out in order for him to make a full recovery as Italy have one eye on the knockout stages.

Asamoah: I don’t like defence Jun 17, 2014 Juventus’ Kwadwo Asamoah says he does not like playing in defence after being selected at left-back for Ghana last night. The 25-year-old normally plies his trade as a midfielder but was asked by Black Stars Coach James Kwesi Appiah to play in a role further back in the 2-1 World Cup defeat to USA. Speaking to Ghanaian media following the loss, the player expressed his belief that he is of no use to his team at left-back. “Everyone knows the role in which I can give my best,” Asamoah said. “I’ve never liked playing in defence but when you are asked to do so what can you do? “I think I am one of the players on the pitch with the most quality and I am very useful when I help out in attack. “I don’t like playing in defence and I don’t think I can help the team there. My role is offensive.”

Lloris warns Pogba over reaction Jun 16, 2014 France captain Hugo Lloris has revealed that he had a word with Paul Pogba at half-time during their 3-0 win over Honduras. The Juventus youngster reacted by kicking out at Wilson Palacios following a bad foul by the Stoke midfielder during the first half in the game at Porto Alegre on Sunday. Both men received a yellow card for their actions, and the goalkeeper has warned the 21-year-old that he will be a target because of his quality. “We all had a word with Pogba at half time,” he told reporters. “Paul’s still young, but he must not react to provocation like that. “I think the referee was smart on that occasion though. “The game is decided on small details like that, and luckily for us, it went in our favour this time.”

Buffon was 'pretty worried' by injury Jun 15, 2014 Italy’s medical staff confirm they were “pretty worried” about Gigi Buffon, but now confident he and Mattia De Sciglio will soon be fit. Professor Enrico Castellacci spoke at the Press conference in Mangaratiba this evening after last night’s 2-1 victory over England. “At this moment Buffon and De Sciglio are the only real issues,” said the chief medic, “as the others are fine apart from the usual aches and pains. “As you saw, in Friday’s training session Gigi’s ankle turned in an abnormal way, which provoked a sprain of the ankle and the knee. “At the time we were pretty worried. As for the knee, there are no particularly serious problems there, but the ankle was affected in the anterior tibial ligament. “From this afternoon we will evaluate and, if necessary, perform hospital tests. He has already begun ad hoc treatment.” There have been reports Buffon will be available for the last group game with Uruguay on June 24, but others suggest he won’t return until the knockouts. “In a World Cup we obviously will try to get the player back as quickly as possible, but remember his health comes first. “We are fairly relaxed and confident his recovery can be quick, but don’t tell me if he’ll be able to play the next game. We have to take this one day at a time.” Buffon posted a Twitter message implying he could be out for “another World Cup,” having missed Euro 2000 and almost all of the 2010 edition. “At the start it was a problem psychologically for him, as in the moment he saw all the previous negative experiences go through his head. Then optimism began to take over,” explained Professor Castellacci. “In truth, Gigi was almost smiling in the locker room and told me he was very happy to hear it wasn’t so serious. He had been expecting to leave this World Cup behind.” The other injury was a thigh problem for Milan left-back De Sciglio, who forced Cesare Prandelli to reshuffle his back line. “De Sciglio has a bruise, but no muscular lesions. This gives us a note of optimism, but it only happened a few days ago and right now he is not in any condition to train with the other players.”

People talk too much about Balotelli - Pirlo The Italy midfielder believes the AC Milan striker is placed under too much scrutiny by the media and should be judged on his performances rather than his private life. Jun 15, 2014 Andrea Pirlo has criticised the press for the constant attention placed on Italy forward Mario Balotelli, insisting the player must be left in peace. The former Manchester City and Inter striker comes into the World Cup with expectations on his shoulders, with plenty of supporters concerned he will not recapture the form he showed in the Euro 2012 semi-final win over Germany despite scoring 14 in 30 Serie A games for AC Milan last season. However, Pirlo believes that the 23-year-old needs to be given time and space to mature without the media glare if he is to fulfil his potential as a footballer and urged reporters to judge him solely on his displays on the pitch. "I think we talk too much [about him], about anything and everything," the 35-year-old told a press conference. "He is a young player, he is good, but you have to give him some air. When he goes to the toilet, there is no need to fill pages about Balotelli going to the toilet. Everything he does ends up in the newspapers and I think that is unfair. "He must be judged solely on what he does on the field. The press spoke and now there are huge expectations around him. Sometimes it's good, sometimes not. He still has to mature and grow, but he will get there probably much quicker if left in a little peace. " Pirlo remains a vital part of the Azzurri set-up and was a World Cup winner in 2006 when they overcame France in the final, but he stressed he is not an essential player for Cesare Prandelli's side. "When I'm on the field, actions pass by me," he continued. "I help the team play differently. But the team is also able to play very good matches without me."

Chiellini & Prandelli hit out at Fifa over Manaus time-outs Italy conquered England and the Amazonian conditions on Saturday evening to get their World Cup campaign off to a winning start, but were angered by a lack of drinks breaks. Jun 15, 2014 Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini has criticised Fifa for not sanctioning time-outs during Saturday's match against England in Manaus, while coach Cesare Prandelli branded the decision "absurd". Much had been made of the heat and humidity in the Amazon city ever since the World Cup draw was made in December, and although the stadium was in complete shade by kick-off and the temperature had cooled significantly compared to midday, conditions were still testing. The Azzurri won an entertaining, end-to-end game 2-1 thanks to goals from Claudio Marchisio and Mario Balotelli, but Chiellini believes the players' health was put at risk. "It was extremely hot and difficult for both teams," he told RAI. "I believe we'd need some little rules like time-outs, drinking breaks, in order to preserve the players' health." He was backed up by coach Prandelli, who says the lack of water breaks also threatened to damage the spectacle. "We worked on the weather conditions at Coverciano and Florence, but it is truly absurd that we can't have the time-out," he told reporters at the post-match press conference. "Luckily the referee was good enough to interrupt, but it is absurd. If we want entertainment we have to give the players the energy to play. It was an epic match which will be remembered forever." Italy continue their World Cup campaign against Costa Rica on Friday, with los Ticos having got off to a winning start themselves against Uruguay.