Reuters - Italy will again rely on a Juventus-dominated side for
their final World Cup qualification push, starting with Saturday's
trip to Ireland to face former Juve and Azzuri manager Giovanni
Trapattoni.

Seven Juve players started last month's 2-0 home win over Bulgaria,
the world champion's best performance in months which left them one
point shy of qualifying as Group Eight winners, and the same number
could feature in these last two matches.

"It is the most important week of the last two years," Italy coach
Marcello Lippi told a news conference, referring to Saturday's test
against second-placed Ireland and the visit of already eliminated
Cyprus four days later.

"It is very important to qualify on Saturday. Not only from my point
of the view. It's important for everybody."

A draw would leave the Azzurri four points clear of Ireland with one
round of matches remaining.

Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro is suspended for the trip to Croke
Park so Nicola Legrottaglie, also Cannavaro's deputy at Juventus, is
likely to step into central defence alongside another club team mate
Giorgio Chiellini.

Left back Fabio Grosso, who netted the winning penalty in the 2006
World Cup final against France, scored a classy opener against the
Bulgarians while Juve team mate Claudio Marchisio did well in the
problematic left midfield role.

Goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, striker Vincenzo Iaquinta and right
winger Mauro Camoranesi could complete the Juve crop.

After the recent failure of 4-3-3, Lippi's diamond midfield was big
a success last month and he looks poised to keep the formation, with
in-form Daniele De Rossi likely to keep out the returning Gennaro
Gattuso.

Ireland, unbeaten in their campaign so far, hold a five-point lead
over third-placed Bulgaria and are favourites to seal the group's
playoff spot even if they cannot match the draw they picked up in
Italy six months ago.

Their path to next year's finals in South Africa became more
difficult when FIFA decided last week to seed Europe's World Cup
playoffs according to rankings but Trapattoni was confident his
side could compete against top opposition.

Ireland, ranked 38 in the world, are unlikely to be seeded for
November's playoffs and could face the likes of France and Germany
should they not win their respective groups.

"We have to realise that business is business and so it is not such
a surprise that this happens when the big teams are not all at the
top of the table," Trapattoni told a news conference.

"(But) for me it's not important because we can play against any
of these teams and we will show that on Saturday against the world
champions."

Fulham winger Damien Duff will join fellow midfielders Steven Reid
and Darron Gibson on the sidelines on Saturday after injuring his
calf but Trapattoni hopes a further scan will clear the 30-year-old
for Wednesday's match at home to Montenegro.

Probable lineups:

Ireland: 1-Shay Given; 2-Sean St Ledger, 3-Kevin Kilbane, 4-John
0'Shea, 5-Richard Dunne; 6-Glenn Whelan, 7-Aidan McGeady, 8-Keith
Andrews; 11-Stephen Hunt; 9-Kevin Doyle, 10-Robbie Keane

Italy: 1-Gianluigi Buffon; 2-Gianluca Zambrotta, 5-Nicola Legrottaglie,
4-Giorgio Chiellini, 3-Fabio Grosso; 7-Mauro Camoranesi, 6-Daniele De
Rossi, 10-Andrea Pirlo, 8-Claudio Marchisio; 9-Alberto Gilardino,
11-Vincenzo Iaquinta

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