Montecatini last night literally rolled out the green carpet, as Giovanni Trapattoni, Marco Tardelli and the Ireland squad were formally welcomed to this beautiful Tuscan spa town, the reception committee including the Lord Mayor Giuseppi Bellandi and the reigning Miss Italy Stefania Bivone.

AT THE Emirates last night, Ireland might have discovered that they hadn’t used up all their bad luck in Paris when Keith Andrews put through his own net right at the end of the first half but, ultimately, it was sheer class which told as Robinho crowned his return to England with a sumptuous second-half goal that had ‘Made in Brazil’ stamped all over it.