Hungary beat Italy in friendly
Friday, 24 August 2007
ROME, Aug 23(AFP): World Cup winners Italy, humbled 3- 1 by Hungary in a friendly Wednesday, will face France in next month's Euro 2008 qualifier missing defender Marco Materazzi.
The Inter Milan star, forever associated with his spectacular run-in with Zinedane Zidane in Berlin's Olympic Stadium last year, injured his right thigh in the embarrassing loss to the Hungarians in Budapest.
"An exact diagnosis will be made soon but he's going to need several weeks to get better," Italy team doctor Andrea Ferretti told ANSA today.
That leaves the 34-year-old sidelined for Italy's Group B qualifiers against beaten World Cup finalists France in Milan on September 8 and against Ukraine in Kiev four days later.
Italy were hauled over the coals by the Italian press today who described the Budapest result as "humiliating" and "lacking ideas" against a Hungarian side which was "more reactive and athletically fresher".
"An Italy like that - No!" headlined the Gazzetta dello Sport.
The Inter Milan star, forever associated with his spectacular run-in with Zinedane Zidane in Berlin's Olympic Stadium last year, injured his right thigh in the embarrassing loss to the Hungarians in Budapest.
"An exact diagnosis will be made soon but he's going to need several weeks to get better," Italy team doctor Andrea Ferretti told ANSA today.
That leaves the 34-year-old sidelined for Italy's Group B qualifiers against beaten World Cup finalists France in Milan on September 8 and against Ukraine in Kiev four days later.
Italy were hauled over the coals by the Italian press today who described the Budapest result as "humiliating" and "lacking ideas" against a Hungarian side which was "more reactive and athletically fresher".
"An Italy like that - No!" headlined the Gazzetta dello Sport.