Inter Milan 4 Tottenham 1 (Agg: 4-4, Spurs win on away goals)

Tottenham 3 Inter 0

It is usual in football for a crushing defeat to be followed by recrimination and the search for scapegoats.

1. Martin Keown’s poker face: “Del Bosque has played his hand here… it’s almost like a game of chess.”

The sideshow runs another night; there is a trophy still up for grabs and the shot of transient satiety that comes with it.

Germany 1 Italy 2

Antonio Cassano’s agent has reassured AC Milan fans the striker will not leave the club this summer.

Manchester City’s Italian coach Roberto Mancini has given Italy boss Cesare Prandelli tips on how to beat England in Euro 2012’s quarter-final showdown on Sunday, and warned that Mario Balotelli could be the decisive factor in the game.

That’s that then.

Italy 2 Republic of Ireland 0

Giovanni Trapattoni has recalled Kevin Doyle tonight as Republic of Ireland attempt to salvage some pride from their European Championship campaign and knock Italy out of the tournament.

Ireland may be pointless in Group C but Italy remain wary of Giovanni Trapattoni’s men.

Old habits die hard.

Roberto Mancini cannot possibly have imagined he would see this sentence in print; but Mario Balotelli, the man regarded as probably the maddest, baddest and most dangerous man to know in the Premier League, played for Italy against Croatia last night and left many onlookers wondering if he could do with being, well... a bit more nasty.

Italy 1 Croatia 1

Giovanni Trapattoni sidestepped the headlines yesterday by refusing to be drawn on his response to homophobic remarks made by Italian international Antonio Cassano.

Italy striker Antonio Cassano has apologised after causing controversy by saying he hoped there were no homosexuals in the national team squad at Euro 2012.

He played no part in the national team’s qualification campaign, but the gifted young attacker was included when Giovanni Trapattoni named his squad for the European Championship finals.

Euro 2012 will be Giovanni Trapattoni’s third time to lead a team at the finals of a major international competition. Paul Kelly looks at the campaigns in which his under-achieving Italy recorded two wins, three draws and two defeats.

Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci was today included in Italy’s final Euro 2012 squad despite being mentioned in the latest match-fixing investigation to engulf the country.

Italy host Luxembourg in a Euro 2012 warm-up tomorrow in Parma with the country gripped by a new match-fixing scandal.

No-one should be holding their breath in anticipation of European Championship finals games being played in Ireland in eight years’ time, despite confirmation the FAI joined its counterparts in Scotland and Wales in expressing an interest in co-hosting the tournament in 2020.

Italy coach Cesare Prandelli says Antonio Di Natale will be considered for selection for Euro 2012 despite overlooking the veteran striker in the past.

AC Milan striker Antonio Cassano has been given the formal all-clear to return to action after spending more than five months on the sidelines due to illness.

AC Milan striker Antonio Cassano yesterday moved a step closer towards resuming his playing career after a positive meeting with a panel of medical experts.

Conspiracy theorists suspect the Champions League draw is arranged in consultation with UEFA’s marketing department.

Alexandre Pato is not leaving AC Milan for Paris St Germain, according to Rossoneri vice president Adriano Galliani.

AC Milan have made an offer to Manchester City to sign Carlos Tevez on loan in January, the Italian club's vice-president Adriano Galliani announced last night.

AC Milan have made an offer to Manchester City to sign Carlos Tevez on loan in January, the Italian club’s vice-president Adriano Galliani announced tonight.

Manchester City have given AC Milan permission to speak to Carlos Tevez’s representative, according to the Italian club’s vice-president Adriano Galliani.

Former AC Milan defender Alessandro Costacurta believes Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez would be the ideal replacement for Antonio Cassano.

Italy coach Cesare Prandelli has not ruled out a return to international football for Antonio Di Natale, despite the striker again being left out of his latest squad.

AC Milan striker Antonio Cassano underwent successful heart surgery this morning, the Italian club have confirmed.

AC Milan striker Antonio Cassano will undergo minor heart surgery this week and will be out of action until next year, the club confirmed today.

SAMIR NASRI’S penalty took France to Euro 2012 after a tense evening against Bosnia & Herzegovina last night.

Italy 3 Northern Ireland 0

AC Milan 2 Lazio 2

WAYNE ROONEY hit the goal trail once more as England took a significant stride towards Euro 2012 with an impressive 3-0 win over Bulgaria in Sofia last night.

Faroe Islands 0 Italy 1

THIS was the kind of night that could just give the meaningless end of season friendly a good name, as an Irish side which spent most of the 90 minutes defending as if for its very life, somehow ended up recording a memorable, if almost inexplicable, 2-0 win against Italy.

Italy 3 Estonia 0

Slovenia 0 Italy 1

AC Milan 4 Parma 0

Federico Macheda has confirmed he is closing in on a loan move to Sampdoria and is hoping a spell in Serie A will further his development.