PREVIEW: Injury-plagued Italy looking to convince against Georgia

By Alberto Cagliano Sep 8, 2008, 9:22 GMT

Udine, Italy - There seems to be no end to the bad news for coach Marcello Lippi, who has four players missing as the world champions Wednesday welcome Georgia for a second World Cup qualifier.

Midfielder Gennaro Gattuso hurt his wrist as he fell near the bench during a training game at the weekend, and joins an injured list already including defenders Alessandro Gamberini, Fabio Grosso and Giorgio Chiellini.

Gamberini dislocated a shoulder and Grosso broke a rib in a first Group 8 qualifier Saturday at Cyprus, while Chiellini is recovering from an injury suffered during his summer training with Juventus.

But the real bad news for Lippi ahead of the match at Udine was the poor form that the world champions displayed in Cyprus, when only a late goal from Antonio Di Natale and some great saves from Gianluigi Buffon allowed the Azzurri to take home a largely undeserved 2-1 win.

'Considering the month we are in (early in the season), we should look at the only positive thing: the three points we secured,' Buffon said.

Di Natale, who also scored the opening goal, is likely to lead Italy's attack on the pitch of his side Udinese.

Lippi might give a day off to the lacklustre Luca Toni and the only partly convincing Alberto Gilardino, possibly leaving room up-front for veteran Alessandro Del Piero and Vincenzo Iaquinta.

Andrea Barzagli and Marco Cassetti, who came on as substitutes against Cyprus could be confirmed in defence, but Nicola Legrottaglie may also have a chance in Lippi's reorganized defence.

A 2-1 defeat against Ireland marred Georgia's debut in the qualification campaign, but did not dent the confidence of new Argentina coach Hector Cuper, a good connoisseur of Italian football who coached Inter Milan and Parma.

'The Azzurri should not undervalue us,' Cuper Monday told La Gazzetta dello Sport. 'If they did, it would be a big mistake. We lost against Ireland, but my squad showed itself to have an identity.'

Cuper said that his players are worried about the tension their country has had with neighbouring Russia.

'War is in the head of my boys, and it's normal,' he said. 'It is not possible to enter the changing room and say: 'Today we think only about football.'

'There is sufferance in (the capital) Tbilisi and my national team suffers with all the Georgians. It's not easy to play football in this atmosphere.'