Lippi in fighting mood

| Sat, 03/28/2009 - 04:00

Italy coach Marcello Lippi was in fighting mood ahead of Saturday's World Cup qualifier against Montenegro in Podgorica.

''We'll make sure we show the difference in quality between the two teams comes out,'' he said.

But he warned that the Montenegrins, ''like all Slavs, have good skills and they'll be playing the game of their lives''.

''Everyone wants to beat the world champions''.

Former Red Star Belgrade coach Zoran Filpovic will be wanting to impress after taking over from ex-Milan star Dejan Savicevic two years ago.

''It will be a party for them outside the stadium and a historic opportunity on the field,'' Lippi said.

Lippi also said he wished the Antonio Cassano selection saga would go away.

''Every coach has a cross to bear, a player with strong pressure from the press and public (to pick him),'' he said.

Lippi said he refused to explain why Cassano was being left out because ''otherwise all hell breaks loose and you never hear the end of it''.

The coach reiterated that he wasn't bothered by the criticism of his selection policy but had been ''upset by the climate created by certain dailies'' about Wednesday's game against group co-leaders Ireland in Cassano's hometown Bari.

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