Intro:
Italian football manager Cesare Prandelli said on Monday that Domenico Criscito would have been under "pressure that no human being could bear" if he'd been included in Italy's squad for the UEFA European Championship, after the player was put under investigation into match fixing.
Script:
Italian football manager Cesare Prandelli reduced his provisional squad to 25 players for the UEFA European Championships on Monday.
One of those omitted was Zenit St. Petersburg defender Domenico Criscito, he was left out after being placed under investigation for possible match-fixing during his time at Italian club side Genoa.
Police swept through the Italian national squad's training camp near Florence on Monday morning as part of a wide-ranging investigation into fixing that resulted in 14 arrests on Monday.
SOUNDBITE: (Italian) Cesare Prandelli, Italy manager:
"I explained to Mimmo (Criscito) why I'm not taking him. Because he would have experienced through the media a pressure that no human being could bear. He is not at peace, at all, because we saw him, and it is impossible for him to prepare for such an important match. Another reason is that he needs to be heard (in court) - maybe even before a match - which would have been an additional problem."
Prandelli has little sympathy for those arrested so far, including Lazio captain Stefano Mauri.
SOUNDBITE: (Italian) Cesare Prandelli, Italy manager:
"We would like all the players who stained the reputation of both the national team and Italian soccer, to pay for their mistakes."
Prandelli will cut another two players by midday on Tuesday.
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Rank | Team | W/D/L | Pts |
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The Top 3 Teams of Previous Tournaments
Year | Winners | Runner-up | Third place |
---|---|---|---|
2008 | Spain | Germany | Russia / Turkey |
2004 | Greece | Portugal | Netherlands / Czech Republic |
2000 | France | Italy | Netherlands / Portugal |
1996 | Germany | Czech Republic | France / England |
1992 | Denmark | Germany | Netherlands / Sweden |
1988 | Netherlands | Soviet Union | Italy / West Germany |
1984 | France | Spain | Denmark / Portugal |
1980 | West Germany | Belgium | Czechoslovakia |
1976 | Czechoslovakia | West Germany | Netherlands |
1972 | West Germany | Soviet Union | Belgium |
1968 | Italy | Yugoslavia | England |
1964 | Spain | Soviet Union | Hungary |
1960 | Soviet Union | Yugoslavia | Czechoslovakia |