Italians count cost of scandals

ITALIAN football’s ambitious plans to reform and rebuild faced an uncertain future after their lost bid to host Euro 2012.

Italy’s great footballing tradition, world-famous stadiums, and excellent record of organising sporting events like the 1990 World Cup, made them many people’s favourites to win the vote, which was made by UEFA’s executive committee in Cardiff.

The headline on the front of Wednesday’s La Gazzetta dello Sport summed up Italians’ confidence of success: “(Michel) Platini will give us Euro 2012,” it read.