(ANSA) - Turin, May 15 - Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini
faces a battle to be fit for Euro 2012 after newly crowned Serie
A champions Juventus said on Tuesday that he will be out of
action for around 20 days with a thigh strain.
The announcement, made after Chiellini had an ultrasound
scan, means the 27-year-old is sure to miss Sunday's Italian Cup
final between Juve and Napoli in Rome.
(ANSA) - Rome, May 15 - AC Milan and Italy forward Antonio
Cassano has said he considered quitting after Serie B footballer
Piermario Morosini and former national-team volleyball player
Vigor Bovolenta died recently after collapsing during matches.
"I wanted to give it all up...I just sat and stared at the
wall. I realized I was playing with my life. My wife was very
worried (about me)," said the 29-year-old.
Cassano suffered a minor stroke last October due to a heart
defect, which has since been corrected with surgery.
(ANSA) - Rome, May 15 - Lawyers representing Argentine
soccer great Diego Maradona said Tuesday that they intend to sue
the Italian State for 50 million euros in damages relating to a
dispute over alleged unpaid taxes.
The announcement came after Italy's tax authorities snubbed
a meeting with a mediator in Naples to solve the 25-year-old
wrangle.
(ANSA) - Milan, May 15 - AC Milan have deflated speculation
that Zlatan Ibrahimovic could leave them, saying the Sweden
striker has declared "eternal love" for the Serie A giants.
Ibrahimovic had been linked to newly crowned English
champions Manchester City after venting frustration at Milan
finishing behind Juventus in the Serie A title race, leaving him
in the rare situation of not having a major trophy to celebrate
at the end of the season.
(ANSA) - Florence, May 14 - The Italian national team are
anxious about Giorgio Chiellini's ability to be fit for Euro
2012 after the defender suffered an injury playing for newly
crowned Serie A champions Juventus.
Chiellini, one of the Azzurri's best players, was in tears
after hurting his thigh in Juve's 3-1 win over Atalanta in the
last game of the Serie A season.
"He is suspected to have a thigh strain," said Italy team
doctor Enrico Castellacci.
(ANSA) - Florence, May 14 - Italy coach Cesare Prandelli was
given a big vote of confidence on Monday when he was told his
future does not depend on how his side do at Euro 2012.
"The outcome of the European championships is not a factor
for Prandelli's continuation in the job," Giancarlo Abete, the
head of the Italian Soccer Federation (FIGC), told a press
conference presenting Prandelli's preliminary 32-man squad for
the tournament in Poland and Ukraine.
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(ANSA) - Milan, May 11 - AC Milan's veteran ex-Italy
midfielder Gennaro Gattuso said Friday he was taking a year off
from soccer while another club icon, Filippo Inzaghi, said his
career was over.
The 34-year-old Gattuso, who came back for a couple of games
recently after apparently beating a career-threatening eye
problem that had kept him out for most of the season, said it
was not goodbye but just an 'arrivederci' ('see you later').
(ANSA) - Milan, May 11 - AC Milan's veteran ex-Italy
midfielder Gennaro Gattuso said Friday he was taking a year off
from soccer while another club icon, Filippo Inzaghi, said his
career was over.
The 34-year-old Gattuso, who came back for a couple of games
recently after apparently beating a career-threatening eye
problem that had kept him out for most of the season, said it
was not goodbye but just an 'arrivederci' ('see you later').
(ANSA) - Rome, May 10 - AS Roma Coach Luis Enrique told his
players he is set to leave the Serie A club after their final
game of a difficult season against Cesena on Sunday, according
to ANSA sources.
The Spaniard had talked about getting Roma playing like
Barcelona after being lured from the 2011 European and Spanish
champions' B side in the close season.
But their form has been erratic under him and they are
seventh with no chance of qualifying for European competition
next season.
(ANSA) - Milan, May 10 - Guru designer Giorgio Armani's
latest campaign is set to dress Italian Olympic athletes on
their way to London 2012 with fashion sense and national
sensibilty.
The national team track suit crafted with impeccable
Italian style also carries a practical feature - the Italian
national anthem stitched into the cloth.
(ANSA) - Milan, May 10 - Former Italy defender Alessandro
Nesta said on Thursday that he will leave AC Milan at the end of
the season after 10 years at the club and hopes to sign for a
Major League Soccer side in the United States.
The 36-year-old has helped Milan win two Champions League
titles (2003 and 2007), two Serie A crowns (2004 and 2011), a
Club World Cup (2007) and an Italian Cup since joining them from
Lazio in 2002.
(ANSA) - Maranello, May 10 - Ferrari posted record results
in the first quarter of 2012, the Italian luxury sports car
maker said Thursday.
Revenue was up 13.2% to 556 million euros, cars delivered up
11.5% to 1,773, net profit up 17.2% to 42.1 million euros and
the company boasted a net financial position of 860 million
euros, the highest in its history.
Ferrari Chairman Luca di Montezemolo told a board meeting he
was "very satisfied" with the figures.
(ANSA) - Rome, May 10 - Prosecutors arrested three leaders
of groups of hardcore 'ultra' fans of Bari soccer club on
Thursday for trying to intimidate players into losing three
Serie A matches late last season.
Alberto Savarese, Raffaele Lo Iacono and Roberto
Sblendorio are suspected of threatening players to make Bari,
who were heading for relegation to Serie B, throw matches so
they could make money from bets.
Savarese has been put under house arrest, while Lo Iacono
and Sblendorio have been sent to prison.
(ANSA) - Rome, May 9 - Mali midfielder Bakaye Traore' said
on Wednesday that he is set to join Serie A giants AC Milan when
his contract with French side Nancy expires at the end of the
season.
"I'm signing for Milan," the 27-year-old told a French
radio station.
"It's incredible. I'm very proud to sign for one of the
greatest clubs in the world".
(ANSA) - Rome, May 9 - Italy coach Cesare Prandelli has
confirmed that he intends to include Mario Balotelli in his Euro
2012 squad despite the Manchester City forward's continuing
disciplinary problems.
He also said that the Azzurri were now 50% weaker than in
their impressive qualifying campaign because of injuries and a
number of players losing their places with their clubs, but
added that he was not worried about it.
