Confident Markov eyes upset against Italians

IN A press conference room just off the hallowed marble halls of the Vassil Levski Stadium, the thin-faced Plamen Markov yesterday pondered the past and future roles of Italian football in his career as Bulgarian coach.

Markov is in his second stint in the hot seat, the first having ended with his resignation following a 2-1 defeat to the Azzurri — then managed by a certain Mr Trapattoni — in the 2004 European Championship finals, a tournament in which the Bulgarians failed to win a match.

That was also the last time the two countries played each other and, with Markov back in situ since the end of 2007, they are set to renew their rivalry here in Sofia tonight in a match the local press are calling “the game of the year”.

The Bulgarian coach doesn’t dispute that the stakes are high, especially for his own side, after they left two points behind and a lot to be desired in their only game in the group so far, a 2-2 draw in Montenegro.

But when I asked Markov yesterday about the bigger picture in Group 8, the coach seemed to suggest it was still anybody’s to win.

“Italy are the favourites and, I think, our toughest opponents,” said Markov, “but every team in the group, including Ireland, has the potential to qualify.”

By close of business yesterday, only 22,000 tickets had been sold for tonight’s game in a stadium capable of holding twice that which suggests the optimistic noises coming out of the Bulgarian camp are at odds with the public mood here.

The local consensus is that, with the likes of Dimitar Berbatov and fit-again Martin Petrov leading the attack, Bulgaria can threaten a patched-up Italian defence which won’t have the reassurance of Gigi Buffon behind it.

However, the outlook at the other end of the pitch is much less rosy, the two goals shipped in Podgorica evidence that Bulgaria will struggle to keep a clean sheet.

Meanwhile, Markov was doing his best to put a more positive spin on things.

“We respect Italy but we are not afraid of them,” he said. “I can’t say we are going to win — you will have to ask me about the result after the game. But we are going to do our best to get a win, we will not settle for a draw.”

For Berbatov, Bulgarian captain, star man and, perhaps, Man United icon in the making, there is encouragement in the absence of Italy’s netminder.

“The Azzurri have problems as they are without Buffon,” he said. “I am happy that he is not playing against us. He’s Italy’s symbol, the strongest goalkeeper in the world.’’

In fact, if Italy’s injury problems were really to dictate tonight’s result, then Bulgaria can already consider themselves steeped. Buffon is just one among a host of absentees, the others to miss out including Marco Materazzi, Fabio Grosso, Andrea Pirlo, Mauro Camoranesi and Vincenzo Iaquinta.

By 8pm last night Italian manager, Marcello Lippi met the press and, as he dropped hints about his starting line-up, made a play on words about a debutant in Giuseppe Rossi, whose name in Italian means ‘pepper’.

Said Lippi: “A little Pepe is always good in the national team. He covers and attacks on the wing. He has a good shot and quality.”

The Villarreal star is expected to start on the right side of an attacking trio with Antonio Di Natale on the left but the most urgent question for the huge travelling Italian press corps was whether Alberto Gilardino — with seven goals for Fiorentina this term — or Luca Toni will play the central striking role..

The manager’s comments before leaving Italy suggested he would keep faith with the Bayern Munich veteran despite his poor performances in the Bundesliga and an atrocious showing for the national side during the European Championship finals.

“A player who is not brilliant with his club is not necessarily off form,” said Lippi. “His performance also depends on his teammates, on the coach, on other factors.”

However, late last night, after the Italian squad had walked the turf at the national stadium in Sofia — but, strangely, had not bothered to have a training session on it — there was a growing belief among the visiting media that Lippi was now leaning towards Gilardino.

The Azzurri have never won in Bulgaria before, drawing once and losing twice. And Irish eyes will be watching closely — Mick Martin is here for Giovanni Trapattoni to file a report.

One final news item out of Sofia last night, and one which will strike a chord in Ireland.

The Bulgarian players have expressed their annoyance at having to play next Wednesday’s qualifier against Georgia in Tblisi — not for reasons of personal safety but because they believe Trapattoni’s team have already accrued an advantage by playing their tie against the Georgians in Mainz.

The Bulgarian players are particularly annoyed with their own association — the Bulgarian Football Union — for not doing more to try and ensure a level playing pitch for all in Group 8.

ITALY (probable): Amelia, Zambrotta, Cannavaro, Chiellini, Dossena; Gattuso, De Rossi, Montolivo; Pepe, Gilardino, Di Natale.

BULGARIA (probable): Ivankov; Milanov, Tunchev, Iliev, Vagner; S Petrov, Yankov, Dimitrov, Lazarov; M Petrov, Berbatov.