Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/327636
Sport 21 maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 11 JUNE 2014 SPORTTODAY Italy's Marchisio relishes 'great' England challenge NICK RIGILLO ITALY is looking forward to an- other "great challenge" against England, veteran midfielder Clau- dio Marchisio said yesterday, stressing the sides' decidedly dif- ferent styles of play. "We are completely different national sides, with completely different characteristics," Marchi- sio said after a day of training in Mangaratiba marred by torrential rain. The sides last met in a major tournament in the Euro 2012 quarter-finals, which Italy won on penalties after a goalless draw during regular and extra time that saw the Azzurri dominate posses- sion. The plot is unlikely to change much in Manaus on Saturday. Earlier in the day, the Azzurri 's initial training session had fo- cussed on rapid exchanges aimed at maximising possession. "We know how they play. In these days we have tried to have a lot of quality at midfield in order to have a lot of possession. They are physi- cally strong and play with a classic 4-4-2 [formation] and (with) a lot of intensity. We must not change [our style] too much," Marchisio said. Both Italy and England hope to build on the lessons learned from their previous encounters. Two months after Euro 2012, England obtained a revenge of sorts by d efeating the Azzurri 2-1 in a friendly in Switzerland. "We will meet a different Eng- land side this time. But we have also changed. We are more experienced, also thanks to the European Cham- pionship," Marchisio said. "With England it's always a great challenge. We will only know at the end who is the strongest," the 28- year-old Juventus player said when asked whether Italy was superior to Roy Hodgson's side. Forward Lorenzo Insigne, who is fighting for a place in the starting 11 despite coach Cesare Prandelli being inclined to play with just one striker, said the players had not received any special tips from Mario Balotelli, who knows the English well having played for Manchester City. "England has great wingers and strikers, it's a great team," the di- minutive Italian said. Asked who his favourite England player is, the Napoli player had no hesitation: Liverpool forward Daniel Sturridge. Italy's Claudio Marchisio during a press conference in Mangaratiba, Brazil, 10 June 2014. Photo by EPA/ETTORE FERRARI UEFA rift with Blatter deepens as he is asked to leave next year JOHN BAGRATUNI JOSEPH Blatter was told to leave as FIFA president next year by Dutch football chief Michael van Praag as the rift between Europe's body UEFA and the world governing body deep- ened on Tuesday. Blatter received a cool reception at a UEFA meeting in downtown Sao Paulo where he told participants he had changed his mind and planned to run for a fifth term in 2015, after informing UEFA three years ago he would step down next year. UEFA, whose president Michel Plati- ni is yet to make up his mind whether to seek the FIFA top job himself, op- poses this plan and wants a fresh start after years of bribery allegations against FIFA in various areas, includ- ing the vote on the 2018 and 2022 World Cup hosts Russia and Qatar. Blatter spent only 20 minutes at the meeting, making his statement and listening to Van Praag and Eng- land's Greg Dyke before leaving in what German football chief Wolfgang Niersbach described to dpa as a "very, very cool" atmosphere. Van Praag said Blatter "received no standing ovation" at the 53-member UEFA gathering as he did at other confederations from the 209 FIFA members who support the 78-year- old Swiss to seek another term, such as Asia and Africa. Van Praag went on to reveal he told the FIFA boss his time was up. "I said this is nothing personal but if you look at the reputation of FIFA in the last seven, eight years: people link FIFA to corruption and bribery, to all kinds of old boys network things. FIFA has an executive president and in the end that means you are respon- sible," he said. "You don't put in easy on yourself as well. All of a sudden you say that Qatar was the wrong choice which means that you blame your executive committee. Yesterday you said some- thing about racism regarding Qatar so people tend to not take you seriously anymore. That is not good for FIFA, not good for the game. "Yes you are leading the reforms now but all those problems occurred in your presidency before. So I be- lieve you should not run anymore. It is not good for FIFA, not good for the game." Blatter put himself atop a reform movement over corruption allega- tions around FIFA and now collapsed marketing and rights partners ISL, as well as on the World Cup host voting from 2010. He recently named the choice of Qa- tar a mistake but said Monday in the wake of allegations by British newspa- pers that the British media was lead- ing a racist campaign. British papers have been at the fore- front of reporting attempts by former FIFA official Mohammed Bin Ham- mam of Qatar to buy votes in Africa and Asia ahead of the 2010 ballot. Dyke spoke out against Blatter over the racism allegations at the meeting, which according to eyewitnesses did not go down well with the FIFA boss, who did not counter them but is also not used to open confrontation from other officials. Van Praag said that he has full faith in the probe by Michael Garcia on the bribery allegations, and that Blatter misunderstood him. "He said 'I am not going to resign to- day. My mandate goes until next year.' He got from my words that I wanted him to resign right now which was not what I wanted to say," Van Praag said. Former UEFA president Lennart Johansson noted there was consen- sus within the confederation, saying when asked whether Blatter should not seek another term: "I think it is time for it." Van Praag (as well as Niersbach) has been mentioned as a possible candi- date for the FIFA presidency but said now was not the time for such a dis- cussion. "Mr Platini is our preferred candi- date. But he has said he has not made up his mind yet. We expect that at the beginning of September," he said. "It is not up to me to decide. If Plati- ni doesn't run, all countries will come together. Then UEFA members have to see whether they wantto promote another candidate." Platini himself, hands in pockets, strolled past the waiting media after the meeting, saying only: "Bonjour, et au revoir." (Hello and good bye). Michel Platini. Photo by EPA/S. SABAWOON