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Lippi backs injured Rossi to recover
Former Italy coach Marcello Lippi has backed injured Villarreal striker Guiseppe Rossi to recover in time to star for his country at next summer’s European Championships.
Rossi suffered a serious knee injury against Real Madrid last month and is facing at least six months on the sidelines – in what is a major blow to Villarreal for the rest of the Spanish season. Anyone looking at the Champions League betting odds will know it will also have an impact on their European campaign.
The former Manchester United youngster had again been the stand-out player for the side known as ‘the Yellow Submarine’ and, following the summer departure of Santi Cazorla, Rossi was being relied upon to fire in the goals that could lead them up the table following a difficult start. Those looking at the football betting odds will know this.
However, he is now facing months out and some observers feel the 24-year-old will struggle to regain his top form and fitness in time for Italy’s Euro campaign in Poland and Ukraine.
Lippi, though, is upbeat over the key man’s ability to get over the injury setback and has backed him to come through the spell out without too many problems.
Italy are also without AC Milan’s Antonio Cassano for the next six months but Lippi is sure they will both be back in time for next summer’s tournament.
“They’ll both recover for Euro 2012,” Lippi, who stepped down from the national job after the disappointing 2010 World Cup, insisted.
“It’ll be just like when Francesco Totti did for my national side in 2006.
“I like this new Italy team and they seem to have the same sort of spirit as we had in Germany five years ago.”
Villarreal, currently 12th in La Liga, have been hit by financial constraints in the past few years that has seen the likes of Diego Forlan, Juan Roman Riquelme and Cazorla all depart and the second-place league finish of 2008 now seems another world away.
Rossi, who hit a superb 28 goals in all competitions last season, has been one of the shining lights in a difficult period for the club and, even though he should be back to boost his country in Euro 2012, his absence for Villarreal is a big blow to their league hopes.
