Fabio Cannavaro: We Can Win 2008

The Euro 2008 finals are just weeks ago and Italian national team skipper Fabio Cannavaro says that Italy are good enough to win the championship this time under coach Roberto Donadoni.

Italy won the 2006 World Cup in Germany and have retained their form since although they did have to go through a rocky patch in between. But under new coach Roberto Donadoni the Azzurri have progress brilliantly and Fabio Cannavaro is confident that they can conquer Europe too.

Cannavaro is at the heart of the Italian defence and team and although his form at Real Madrid for the past two seasons have not been the best of his life, he is certain to play a vital role in this summer’s European championships in Austria and Switzerland.

The Italy captain says:

“The European Championship is an important test.

“And we are the world champions – we have a good squad and we can get results.

“I am optimistic for our chances, even if we have a difficult Group with Holland, France and Romania.

“We will go there with the strength of a united group who know that they have a good Coach.”

Italy are pooled in arguably the most difficult group in Euro 2008 with France, Holland and Romania completing the four-piece jigsaw puzzle in the group. France and Holland would be tough to break down for Italy and Romania could well prove to be a potential banana skin.

But Fabio Cannavaro has some good things to say about his coach Roberto Donadoni, whom not everyone in Italy trusts to be able to lead this highly talented Italian national team.

Nevertheless Cannavaro says:

“Donadoni has done big things. He reconstructed the group and gave hunger to the world champions by finding the right stimuli.

“We had an exceptional qualifying campaign and now we will go to the competition calm.”

Italy kick off their euro 2008 campaign against the Netherlands in Berne on June 9.