Italy

ITALY

Italy's hopes of a perfect qualifying record may have been dashed with a 0-0 draw in Greece with a finals place long secured, but having not conceded a goal in their ten games, it is a long time since the Azzurre came through as comfortably as this.

Of course, they have a proud Women's EURO record, reaching two finals in the 1990s in the days of Carolina Morace and never failing to be among the top eight. But they needed play-offs to make the 2005 and 2009 tournaments and are no longer considered among the favourites.

They are becoming a stronger force, though. In 2009 in Finland, they only narrowly lost 2-1 to Germany in the quarter-finals and were pipped to the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup in play-offs against eventual semi-finalists France and runners-up the United States. They looked supreme in qualifying when twice beating main rivals Russia 2-0 and up front the evergreen Patrizia Panico leads a strong attack also containing Melania Gabbiadini, Pamela Conti and Elisa Camporese, while the defence proved their strength. Shortly before qualifying was confirmed, coach Pietro Ghedin left to become Malta men's coach, replaced by 1982 FIFA World Cup winner Antonio Cabrini.

Tournament record
2009: quarter-finals
2005: group stage
2001: group stage
1997: runners-up
1995: quarter-finals
1993: runners-up
1991: fourth place
1989: fourth place
1987: third place
1984: fourth place

Other honours
2008 UEFA European Women's Under-19 Championship

2013 qualifying
Group 1 winners, P10 W9 D1 L0 F35 A0 Pts28

Top scorer: Patrizia Panico 9
Most appearances: Giulia Domenichetti 10

Friendly results since qualifying
6 March: L2-4 v England (Cyprus Cup group, Nicosia)
8 March: L0-2 v New Zealand (Cyprus Cup group, Larnaca)
11 March: L1-2 v Scotland (Cyprus Cup group, Larnaca)
13 March: W1-0 v South Korea (Cyprus Cup 9th place, Dasaki Achna)
7 April: W2-1 v Austria (a, St Veit an der Glan)

Competition record win
9-0 v Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (a), 22/10/2011, 2013 qualifying
9-0 v Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (h), 16/06/2012, 2013 qualifying

Competition record defeat
0-4 v Germany (in England), 09/06/05, 2005 final tournament group stage