Marco Verratti said Wednesday he wants to take the opportunity this week to establish himself as the successor to Italy great Andrea Pirlo.
The 22-year-old Paris Saint-Germain midfielder is likely to start for the Azzurri against Bulgaria in Sofia in a Euro 2016 qualifier as Juventus star Pirlo and AS Roma’s Daniele De Rossi have been left out of the squad by coach Antonio Conte.
“I’m going to make the most of this opportunity,” vowed Verratti.
“It’s normal not to start out as first choice in the national team, it could hardly be any different when you have players like Pirlo and De Rossi ahead of you in the reckoning.”
Pirlo is injured while De Rossi has been in poor form recently. Verratti had largely been overlooked by Conte until now.
“I’m starting to understand what Conte expects from me and I’m trying to put it into practice,” added Verratti, who has scored two goals in 10 Italy appearances.
Verratti, though, is wary of being seen as the new Pirlo and having the hopes of a nation piled on his young shoulders.
“It’s difficult to replace a player such as Pirlo,” he said.
“But don’t say it’s up to me to take Italy’s destiny in my hands. If you’re not (Diego) Maradona or (Lionel) Messi, the national team cannot be just one person.”
After their Group H clash in Sofia, Italy will host England in a friendly in Turin on March 31.
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
The specs: 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLA
Price, base / as tested Dh150,900 / Dh173,600
Engine 2.0L inline four-cylinder
Transmission Seven-speed automatic
Power 211hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque 350Nm @ 1,200rpm
Fuel economy, combined 6.4L / 100km
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup – Sep 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
Pieces of Her
Stars: Toni Collette, Bella Heathcote, David Wenham, Omari Hardwick
Director: Minkie Spiro
Rating:2/5
What is Genes in Space?
Genes in Space is an annual competition first launched by the UAE Space Agency, The National and Boeing in 2015.
It challenges school pupils to design experiments to be conducted in space and it aims to encourage future talent for the UAE’s fledgling space industry. It is the first of its kind in the UAE and, as well as encouraging talent, it also aims to raise interest and awareness among the general population about space exploration.
