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Clinical: Balotelli heads home against Germany

The 2006 Calciopoli fixing scandals has been followed by the latest betting scandal,
Scommessopoli, which has embroiled current Juventus coach Antonio Conte and defender Domenico Criscito, who was withdrawn from the current squad because of the investigation.

Leaving aside that Italy's greatest successes in 1982 and 2006 came in the wake of match-fixing scandals, Prandelli presents a different face of Italian football. He even dropped
Daniele De Rossi in March for elbowing a player. 'I wanted to display good football, something really pleased with. we have taken our methods,' he said.

Prandelli already has a groundswell of sympathy in Italy death of his wife, Manuela, his childhood sweetheart, from cancer five years ago. Here he has been emgaging and quirky.

After victories, he and his coaching staff have set off in the small hours of the morning to walk to a Krakow monastry - the first time they completed the entire 15 miles on foot - as a pilgrimage of thanks.

The great AC Milan coach Arrigo Sacchi, Fabio Capello's mentor, has said that Prandelli is revolutionising their game and 20 million Italian viewers tuned in to watch the Germany match, a statistic that has made the coach proud. 'Before this tournament everyone was more concerned with a Juventus-Milan game than the national team,' said Prandelli. 'Now we're getting results and everyone is supporting the team.'

It helps if you have the metronomic passing of Pirlo, the energy of De Rossi and Claudio Marchisio and explosiveness of Antonio Cassano.

The youthful spirit and inspiration, though, is all from Balotelli. And while Serie A is routinely derided by little Englanders, Italy does have a habit of producing players who can actually pass the ball to each other.

As for Prandelli, he is all smiles for now. A month ago, Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti was so disillusioned with the latest scandal engulfing the game, he said it might be better if
Italian football was suspended for three years. Prandelli, it seems, saw a politician eyeing a bandwagon.

'I simply said I don't agree with this view of football,' he said. 'We like to play fair. And if you think as Prime Minister or as a Government that the Italy team does not represent its country in a proper way then perhaps it's better for us to stay at home.'

Prime Minister Monti is presumably glad they did not. On Friday he confirmed that he would be flying to Kiev to attend the final. It seems Italian football is worth watching after all.

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