Italy meet the Czech Republic today, June 22 in Hamburg at 4:00 PM German time (10:00 PM EST)
In what can only be a big gamble for the Czech Republic, Milan Baros, the goalpoacher extra-ordinaire has been declared match fit.
Squads:
Czech Republic: Cech, Grygera, Kovac, Rozehnal, Jankulovski, Plasil, Polak, Nedved, Poborsky, Rosicky, Baros.
Subs: Blazek, Galasek, Heinz, Jarolim, Jiranek, Kinsky, Koller, Mares, Sionko, Stajner.
Italy: Buffon, Zambrotta, Cannavaro, Nesta, Grosso, Camoranesi, Pirlo, Perrotta, Gattuso, Totti, Gilardino.
Subs: Amelia, Barone, Barzagli, Del Piero, Iaquinta, Inzaghi, Materazzi, Oddo, Peruzzi, Toni, Zaccardo.
Referee: Benito Archundia Tellez (Mexico)
Head-to-heads
Italy and the Czech Republic/Czechoslovakia have a rich history having met 29 times before. The Czechs have the upper hand, having won 10 and lost nine times. In competitive matches the teams are perfectly balanced with two wins and two draws each.
Italy have won the two previous confrontations at the World Cup. In the 1934 final in Rome, they won 2-1 after extra time. Antonin Puc had put the Czechs ahead but Raimondo Orsi and Angelo Schiavi scored to hand Italy their first ever World Cup title. In 1990, these teams met in a group stage encounter. Toto Schillaci and Roberto Baggio scored for Italy to give them a 2-0 win. That is also their most recent victory over the Czechs.