Through the Trapp door?

IT surely is the ultimate irony — the Italians cry ‘foul’ before ever a ball is kicked!

Italy's desperate position in Group C of the European Championship is so fraught with danger for football's self-styled aristocrats that they are already propagating the theory that they are the victims of an international conspiracy.

Italy need a combination of results from tonight's fascinating matches to go through to the next round: they must win by at least three clear goals when they play Bulgaria in Guimaraes and hope that Sweden are not involved in a scoring draw in Oporto against Denmark.

Ideally, Italy want a definitive result from the Scandinavian derby.

A scoring draw might well make Italy's position untenable.

Only two of 18 matches have produced winning margins of three goals or better, so a scoring draw would set Italy a winning target out of proportion to what has gone before and, probably, out of reach.

Nothing, it seems, will convince Italy that the Nordic countries have not already brokered an agreement to ensure Italy go home early.

The state broadcaster, RAI, further fuelled the flames of controversy yesterday by announcing they would have extra camera crews within the stadium to monitor the behaviour of the Swedes and Danes. Their persecution complex is acute.

The scenario that is unfolding is delicious in its possibilities. And its appeal is enhanced immeasurably by the involvement of the cunning Italians and their love of intrigue, their reputation for deception. It is a plot that would do justice to a Hitchcock classic. And the element that makes it unique and fascinating is the role reversal now the Italians are cast in the role of the 'good guys', the finger of suspicion is directed firmly at the clean-cut, upright and uptight Swedes and Danes.

But not all the Italians are prepared to go public with their fears of a conspiracy, whatever their private feelings.

Said Italy's outstanding goalkeeper, Gianluigi Buffon; "We need to play to win and get to five points and then we'll digest what the other teams did. I think that other countries play their sports beyond these mathematical calculations, so I think that game will be played normally. I don't think they want to make an ugly scene."

RAI were not so publicly neutral: "Our intention was to add seven cameras but there wasn't space to set them up," the director of RAI Sport, Fabrizio Maffei, was quoted as saying in La Gazzetta dello Sport yesterday.

"We have, however, gained two extra camera positions and we'll be setting them up directly behind each goal."

Italy's flawed performances against Denmark and Sweden have led to a huge rift between the players and officials and the huge army of media.

Nobody travels abroad with a team of media people as numerous as the Italians and their criticism of Italy's football reached hysterical level after Italy lost a 1-0 lead to Sweden.

Centre-forward Christian Vieri came in for particular criticism after he missed a succession of scoring chances and he walked out of a press conference at the week-end after shouting at the media: "You can say what you want about me as a player but when you offend me as a person well ... I am more of a man than all of you put together."

THIS is more of the Italy we have grown to know and love: bickering within the camp and a seething resentment at public criticism, especially in their own, ultra-critical press. In a sense this is standard for the excitable, demonstrative Italians.

It is equally normal for Italy to have shown a level of performance against Sweden that was pure gold in terms of quality. For the opening 30 minutes they performed at a level only the very best could hope to reach; devastating quality, fast and aggressive and so decorated with individual moments of extravagance that one was tempted to stand and cheer.

The veteran Panucci, on the right wing, and Zambrotta, on the left, drove huge holes in the Swedish defence, Pirlo orchestrated things in central midfield, Cassano, Vieri and Del Piero moved with real menace through the middle.

That period passed, however, and Italy had only Cassano's 37th minute goal to show as the basket of missed scoring opportunities filled to overflowing. Sweden's intransigence, their formidable spirit, the persistence of Ibrahimovic and Henrik Larsson, succeeded in turning the game as Italy fell into their traditional role.

They grew more economical in their movement and their work, content to defend their slender lead, mistakenly in the belief their team-work, their exquisite technical ability, their powerful defence would see them through. They paid a heavy penalty as Ibrahimovic decorated a splendid individual performance with an instinctive goal of real invention.

It would be a pity if Italy were to depart the tournament this early. There is no question but if Vieri and Del Piero hit a decent streak in front of goal they are capable of winning the entire tournament. As a team they have it all, except, perhaps, the passion that the more mundane combinations like Denmark, Greece, England bring to the contest.

There seems little doubt but that they will beat Bulgaria who themselves were seething at their treatment by the referee and his assistants in the muscular battle they had with Denmark on Friday in Braga.

"Mafia, mafia," chanted the incensed Bulgarian fans as the yellow card bookings piled up and their inspirational Stilian Petrov was sent for an early shower. Denmark were untroubled as they fashioned a 2-0 win to take them level on points at the top of the table with Sweden.

Mafia an international expression denoting activity that is less than wholesome and Italian in conception.

The Danes will have none of it .... "That is ridiculous," snapped Denmark's coach Morten Olsen when talk of a conspiracy infiltrated the Danish press conference yesterday. "Who do you think we are?" he barked, his eyes flashing angrily, "Do you think we are not honest and sporting? I will not speak of it. We will be playing for a result we will not do this in any kind of Italian way."

MORTEN Olsen was an outstanding centre-back with Denmark in the 1970's, who played with honour, courage and admirable honesty. His manly approach reflected the Danes collective commitment to the game and his anger was well justified.

Italy can play football as artistic and as attractive as their stylish blue-and-silver uniforms but are they as transparently wholesome as the Danes? Is there the possibility that no matter what happens when Denmark and Sweden clash in Oporto, the scoreline from Guimaraes will make nonsense of talk of conspiracy and intrigue? Will Bulgaria stand up and be counted? Will there, perhaps, be an attractive contract or two for a season or two in Serie A available? Will it be a landslide in Guimaraes of the football kind and a scoreline to cause one or two people to scratch their heads? Now there's an interesting scenario.