Rocca rates Italy highly

Rocca bullish
Davide Di Gennaro struck late in extra time against the Croatians to give hosts Italy a bronze medal and ticket to Peru, where Italy begin their campaign on Saturday against Ivory Coast before further Group C games against the United States and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Italy have been in the competition four times before, only once progressing past the first stage, but coach Francesco Rocca is bullish.

'We can even win'
"Our goal is the same as the other 16 teams taking part in the tournament," he told uefa.com. "We want to go as far as possible in the tournament. I don't want to set a limit as we can even win. Why not? Certainly, we are preparing in the best possible way. Now we have to prove it on the pitch."

Unique opportunity
Whatever the final outcome, Rocca believes participating in this kind of event is a unique opportunity for his players. "It will be a great experience," he said. "At their age, this tournament is as good as it gets. My players have learnt a lot from the European Championship, which was an extraordinary time for them. If they are clever, all these experiences will be extremely useful for the rest of their careers."

Six newcomers
Rocca has made six changes to the squad that impressed in Tuscany in May. Goalkeeper Simone Santarelli, defender Stefano Luciano Mauri, midfielders Tommaso D'Attoma, Matteo Mandorlin and Matteo Scozzarella, and forward Christian Tiboni are the new faces.

Difficult call
"I cannot say whether we are better now, but I had to take a few decisions," Rocca explained. "It was difficult because every player did well at the European Championship. Since then, though, some players have gained first-team experience with their clubs."

Vital players
Still vital to Rocca's lineup will be striker Andrea Russotto, who scored twice at the EURO including the winner in the opener against eventual champions Turkey, their only defeat last term. He has since left Switzerland's AC Bellinzona for Serie A newcomers Treviso FC and will be partnered by Salvatore Foti, with the talented Enrico Alfonso back in goal after missing May's semi-final and third-place match through suspension.

Useful experience
"During the European Championship we improved game after game, learning how to play together," Rocca added. "We could not play many friendlies ahead of the World Cup because clubs have their own priorities and we have to respect them. But our experience in Tuscany was very useful."

No favourites
Rocca refused to say which team will be favourites to triumph in Peru. "I don't like to name any team," he said. "I can just say that we are a strong side. Our opponents will have to deal with us and prove they are superior if they want to win."

'Interesting idea'
Meanwhile, FIFA will experiment with goalline technology during the championship - a special ball will alert the referee if it crosses the line. Rocca said: "I think it's an extremely interesting idea. The new system will be used for the first time and will attract the interest of the football world. It's an experiment and I hope it will work in the best possible way. Personally, I'm optimistic. I think it can be the solution for a real problem."