Donadoni To Drop Gattuso, Ambrosini & Matrix - Report

Latest reports in Italy suggest that Italy national team boss Roberto Donadoni is set to drop Gennaro Gattuso, Massimo Ambrosini and Marco Materazzi for Wednesday’s friendly in Spain.

The match in Elche is the Azzurri’s last before Donadoni names his squad for Euro 2008 at the end of May.

Donadoni is set to field what he considers to be his first-choice starting XI. Milan duo Gennaro Gattuso and Massimo Ambrosini have been in very poor form recently, with the former in particular looking a shadow of his former self.

Donadoni is expected to play Roma’s Daniele De Rossi and Simone Perrotta in their places, as they are rewarded for the Giallorossi’s sensational Scudetto and Champions League charge.

Another player who has been completely out-of-sorts is Inter’s Marco Materazzi. The 34-year-old missed much of the first-half of the season due to a serious thigh injury, and since returning he has really struggled.

At the weekend Matrix was torn apart by Juventus’ Alessandro Del Piero, and he is expected to start on the substitute’s bench against Spain, with Palermo’s Andrea Barzagli set to partner Fabio Cannavaro in the centre of defence.

More should be revealed later this evening when Donadoni answers questions from the press following training.



ha. judging from how carlo manages us..if he were to take over for the italian national squad i wouldnt be surprised seeing a baggio vieri front paring with Captain Paolo holding down left back.

Carlo should take a page out of Donadoni's book..if you ask me, there's no valid excuse for playing Ambro over Emerson. Emerson is just plain better than Ambro and Im sorry if i offend any Ambro fans..Carlos is a great "milan" manager who honors tradition and the veterans and won't throw them away after all the previous success they've given him. if you ask me tho, if Carlo is goinn to continue this trend of playing guys based on seniority and not skill, Milan would/could be better served with a new manager at the reigns. It's one thing to be loyal. it's another to hold the team back due to stubborness. Where is Carlo crossing the line.

I know that it's just ONE In'tl friendly against Spain, but Donadoni picks his team based on FORM and ability. Gattuso and Ambro weren't there. That has to say something..

Well, that's an entire defferent situation. It's not that Carlo has a eye on old soon-to-retire players. But he has to pick them.


Oh please,..c'mm on! Carlo should learn from Donadoni.. .
You can't actually say playing Emerson for Ambrosini would do a difference. In fact, Ambro has been established as our team captain this season, of course, when in absence of Maldini. So we stick on that + we can eventually see him score. With Emerson we'd be better off for about 0,5% or 1%. Can that change anything? Not exactly.


Indeed. It says that Donadoni is doing exactly what every other NT manager would do - he's not recalling two players who are underperforming right now for an unimportant friendly so they can rest and be fit for Milan's important matches.

Does he have the ***** to do the same when selecting the squad for Austria/Switzerland? No way...

hmm..i mean you're right. i cant really refute what you're saying..i was joking about baggio, vieri, & paolo. and any NT coach would do wat donadoni's doing..am I alone though in thinking that Ambro isn't that good? Emerson comes on and does everything Ambro can do..and he has better control and passing. Ambro may be our captain..but that doesnt change my opinion that we have players on our meager roster who are better than he is..i pull my hair watching ambrosinis poor spacing on offense..shitty crosses..and clumsy control. does anyone else?

and btw, since when was Ambro a necessary part of our starting 11 and since when did he deserve captaincy? Ambro has only established himself, or let me rephrase, he has been established by Carlo, in the last year and a half...

Prior to last season he never really started CRUCIAL ties for us. It was a seedorf, kaka, pirlo, gattuso midfield, with two strikers..and when this midfield was employed..we were much better than we were now.

I'm sorry, it seems I've lost my sense of humor and started taking everything serious .

I do think that allover Emerson is/was better then Ambrosini. Right now, he's out of form and underperforming, so he's not far away from Ambrosini. In a CL final that detail could be decisive or in other words putting Emerson in and Ambro on the bench could actually work. But right now, in the 4th spot battle, were we have many players who underperform and play out of their league, I'm more convinced Ambro can help, but also am sure there would be no difference. Just that probably Gattuso or Kaladze (!!!!! ) would wear the armband which is totally wrong,..

Gattuso needs a rest, Matrix has been pretty poor for a while now, while Ambro was half expected. He hasnt been playing brilliantly for a few weeks (Toro performance aside) De Rossi deserves it more

I would like to see Pirlo being given a rest

What, and Gatusso ever does any of this right?

Ambro is a very reliable player, very under-rated. He's also scored very vital goals for us in the past.

I really like Donadoni. My vote to take over from Carletto...he has all the pre-requisites. Milan hero, Italian, well respected etc.