Italy may gamble on Nesta to avoid an early exit

ITALY coach Giovanni Trapattoni may gamble on the fitness of Alessandro Nesta as they look to avoid joining France and Argentina on an early plane home.

Trapattoni claimed the Lazio defender had recovered “90%” from the foot injury he suffered in their shock defeat to Croatia.

Italy must beat Mexico today to be assured of progressing to the last 16, and Trapattoni does not want to enter the match without the classy 26 year old centre back.

“It is perhaps worth the risk,” he said. “If I’m going to use him it’s because I think he can do it.”

Nesta’s participation looked in grave doubt earlier yesterday after he walked off just five minutes into a training session at the Oita Big Eye Stadium. After warming up in a pair of training shoes, he switched to boots for a small scale practice match, only to leave early.

“He just put on his boots for five minutes to see how he felt,” said Trapattoni. The Italian FA’s medical staff are thought to have contacted Nesta’s club to seek permission to give him painkilling injections.

“I’m going to do whatever the doctors say,” said Nesta. “I hope I’ll be alright.”

Should Nesta play, he is likely to line up in a back three alongside Fabio Cannavaro and Paolo Maldini.

When asked about a possible replacement for Nesta, Trapattoni replied: “At this moment I don’t think there is a substitute for Nesta.” Former Everton defender Marco Materazzi replaced Nesta after 24 minutes of the Croatian defeat, but was widely criticised for their winner. In attack, the Italian coach looks set to play Francesco Totti behind a front two of Christian Vieri and Filippo Inzaghi.

While in midfield, he has yet to decide on a replacement for the injured Luigi Di Biagio.

Trapattoni, meanwhile, was keen to stress his players had put the Croatia defeat out of their minds.

“The most important thing is that we feel fine physically.

“We’re in a very good condition and have a good mental approach.

‘‘For 24 hours after the Croatia game we were disappointed.

“It was a result we didn’t deserve but over the last few days we’ve recharged our batteries and we know we still have a chance to go through.”

Not since 1966, when they lost to North Korea, have Italy’s footballers failed to progress beyond the first round of a World Cup.

Mexico, who have no new injury worries, have not beaten Italy in nine meetings.

Twice they have met in the World Cup finals, in 1970, where Italy ran out 4-1 quarter final winners, and in 1994, a match which finished 1-1.

A first defeat would continue this World Cup of surprises but Nesta, for one, was adamant Italy would do everything to avoid an early exit.