Lippi hands Rossi maiden Azzurri start for Greek test

ITALY coach Marcello Lippi will give former Manchester United starlet Giuseppe Rossi his first senior start in tonight’s international friendly against Greece in Athens.

Rossi, who made his debut with the world champions as a second-half substitute against Bulgaria last month, will partner Bayern Munich striker Luca Toni in the Azzurri attack.

The 21-year-old has earned much praise after an impressive start to the campaign in the Primera Liga with Villarreal, where he has scored six goals in the last seven games.

“Giuseppe is 21 but has a strange experience for a youngster like him,” said Lippi.

“He has already played in three big leagues (Premier League, Serie A and Primera Liga), he is matured and ready.”

Rossi is eager to continue his goalscoring form and help the Azzurri clinch a victory.

“I will try to make the most of my chances,” he said. “If I have arrived here it is thanks to the work I’ve done and to the support of my family.”

Toni is desperate to end his goalscoring drought with the national team having failed to find the back of the net since February, when he scored in a friendly against Portugal.

“I really miss scoring for Italy,” said Toni, who failed to score in Euro 2008. “I really want to score my 16th goal with the national team. I know I can do it, I feel good and fit.”

A positive result in Athens would allow Lippi to equal the world record of 31 international games without defeat set by former Spain coach Javier Clemente and ex-Argentina tactician Alfio Basile.

But Lippi’s main focus is for his team to continue to reconstruct the Azzurri. The Italians have shown no signs of weakness in their World Cup qualifying campaign — they lead Group Eight having won three and drawn once in four encounters.

The Azzurri welcome back Fabio Grosso, Nicola Legrottaglie, Mauro Camoranesi and Vincenzo Iaquinta, who have all recovered from injuries.

Galatasaray goalkeeper Morgan De Sanctis will replace injured Gianluigi Buffon in goal.

Greece coach Otto Rehhagel, meanwhile, could hand a debut to Ergotelis forward Vassilis Koutsianikoulis.

The 20-year-old, who has featured previously in the Greece U21 squad, shot to prominence in his club’s 3-2 triumph over Panathinaikos at the Olympic Stadium in late October.

Angelos Charisteas and Giourkas Seitaridis have both been ruled out through injury, Celtic striker Georgios Samaras, who has only just returned to fitness, has been left out.