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Lippi wary of taking group too easily

Italy coach Marcello Lippi sounded a warning to celebrating Italians after the reigning world champions were on Friday given what looked an easy draw in the World Cup.

Italy were grouped alongside debutants Slovakia, outsiders New Zealand and South Americans Paraguay in Group F.

But while that looks to be one of the weakest pools in the whole draw, Lippi warned that it would be dangerous to start thinking along those lines.

“The more you think a group will be easy the more difficult it becomes,” he said.

“Paraguay were top of the South American qualifying group for a long time before being overtaken by Brazil at the end.

“Slovakia are improving, they have players we know well, also some who play in Italy and they beat some good teams to get here.

“I’m neither satisfied nor upset. We will start to assess our opponents and their characteristics.

“They are all difficult opponents but then we will also cast an eye on the (possible) second round and quarter-final (opponents).”

However, while Lippi urged caution, Italian pundits were less reserved in their reactions.

On Sky Sport’s live televised coverage of the draw their commentators openly laughed and celebrated as each of Italy’s opponents was read out.

And former Chelsea manager and now TV pundit Gianluca Vialli said this was a group from which Italy should expect to progress.

“It’s a very manageable group but these are teams who will be going to the World Cup expecting to play three matches whereas Italy are going there hoping to play seven games, so we have to be very careful,” he said.

Slovakia actually topped a qualifying group including Slovenia, Poland and Czech Republic while Paraguay were only pipped by Brazil in South American qualifying.

New Zealand’s Oceania campaign was simple but then they had to negotiate a tricky two-legged play-off against Bahrain.

Paraguay are expected to be Italy’s toughest opponents with Brazil coach Dunga, who lifted the World Cup as a player in 1994 in the United States when Italy were beaten on penalties in the final, told the reigning champions to watch out.

“Italy’s group is not easy, Paraguay are a very solid team. They did very well during qualification, Italy will have to be careful,” he told Rai TV.

Italy begin their campaign against Paraguay in Cape Town on June 14 and the South Americans’ Argentine coach Gerardo Martino admitted that would be his team’s toughest encounter.

“Playing the first match against the reigning champions will of course be difficult but we’re confident that we will be well prepared enough to put up a fight not only in this match the also the others,” he said.

Underdogs New Zealand gave Italy a fright in a pre-Confederations Cup friendly in Pretoria a year ago before going down 4-3 and assistant coach Brian Turner says that has given them belief.

“We took a lot of confidence out of that game. We took the game to Italy but at the end of the day Italy were still too good, they’re a football power,” he said.

“But we’re delighted with the group we’re in and we’re delighted to be with Italy.”

ROME (AFP)

Tags: Argentine, bahrain, brazil, Brian Turner, cape town, CHELSEA, coach marcello lippi, commentators, czech republic, debutants, dunga, F. But, Gerardo Martino, italians, italy coach, marcello lippi, New Zealand, opponents, outsiders, paraguay, play seven, play three, Poland, pretoria, pundits, qualifying group, ROME, seven games, Sky Sport, South American, South Americans, United States, vialli, world champions, World Cup

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