“我非常自豪，這支球隊擁有一種難以置信的精神，面對各種傷病和變化，
他們處理得非常好。”
“他們非常團結，現在什麼都有可能發生。就像前段時間那樣，我們需要全身心地
投入到比賽中來。”
星期二的半決賽，意大利將和東道主德國在多特蒙德首次相遇，對此，裏皮説道：
“對我們而言，這是一場艱苦的比賽，我相信對德國也如此。”
“我曾經説過，在世界盃中，我們不能打進德國隊4粒入球，德國隊也不可能讓我們
進4個球。”
1998年，法國在1/4決賽中被東道主擊敗，四年前，他們再次在第二輪比賽中敗在東
道主韓國隊的腳下。
對此，裏皮表示：“這不是1/4決賽，也不是第二輪比賽，這是半決賽。”
鏈結：http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=372996&cc=5739
原文：Updated: July 1, 2006
Lippi says team spirit carried Azzurri through
HAMBURG, July 1 (Reuters) - Italy are in the World Cup semi-finals where
they face Germany after scoring nine goals and conceding just one in five
matches but it is team spirit rather than statistics that gives coach
Marcello Lippi confidence.
Friday's 3-0 win over Ukraine extended the Azzurri's unbeaten run to 23
matches and they have not been beaten since a loss to Slovenia in a World
Cup qualifier in October 2004.
Every outfield player in Lippi's squad has had a taste of the tournament
and eight of them have a goal under their belts.
Now the Italians are one win away from keeping their curious record of
reaching the World Cup final every 12 years since 1970.
It is not the raw data that impresses Lippi, however. The silver-haired
tactician's confidence comes from the mood within his squad.
'I am extremely proud because this team has an incredible character and
spirit, they have coped so well with a lot of injuries and changes to the
team,' said Lippi.
'They are an incredible bunch of lads and everything is possible now. We
need to try with all our hearts -- it has worked for us so far,' added
the Italy coach.
Statistics alone would make the Italians, who beat Germany 4-1 in a
friendly on March 1 in Florence, clear favourites for a place in the
final, but what the results do not show is that the Azzurri have had the
easiest of routes to the last four.
They have also struggled at times against relatively modest opposition.
Italy topped group E thanks to a 2-0 win over Ghana, a laboured 1-1 draw
against a nine-man United States and a 2-0 victory over a Czech Republic
side robbed by injury of their main strikers.
In the second round the Azzurri, down to 10 men and looking despondent,
were facing the prospect of extra time against Australia before a
fortuitous last minute penalty gave them a controversial victory.
That set up a quarter-final against the weakest team in the last eight
and even the victory over Ukraine had an element of good fortune to it --
twice the woodwork saved the Italians.
Tuesday's semi-final against the hosts in Dortmund will be the first time
in this tournament that Italy will have come up against opponents of an
equal status to them.
'It will be difficult for us but I think it will also be difficult for
Germany,' said Lippi, who rightly suggested that little should be read
into the friendly win over Juergen Klinsmann's side four months ago.
'I said at the time -- we aren't a team who will score four against
Germany at the World Cup and they aren't a team who will concede four
against us,' he said.
Germany are a different side now, on a high after their 4-2 win over
Argentina on penalties and they will also enjoy a partisan home support.
When it comes to playing the host nation, Italy's recent record is the
only statistic that counts against them.
In 1998 they were eliminated in the quarter-finals by hosts and eventual
winners France and four years ago they were knocked out in the second
round by co-hosts South Korea.
'But they were a quarter-final and a second round match,' said Lippi,
'This will be a semi-final'.
作者--楊瓊華
責編：佟杉杉