'Rack and ruin' - papers hit out at Italy
The Italian media was left to lament the country's "debacle" and "failure" of a World Cup after their elimination following a 1-0 defeat to Uruguay in their final group game.
- Rzouki: Italy must cope with bitter taste of defeat
- Report: Italy coach Prandelli resigns
- Report: Chiellini wants FIFA action over Suarez
Azzurri coach Cesare Prandelli and Italian FA president Giancarlo Abete resigned after the game, which was overshadowed by the Luis Suarez bite controversy -- but the media inquest into what has gone wrong for the four-time World Cup winners is only just beginning.
For the first time since the 1960s, Italy have failed to reach the knockout stages for two World Cups in a row.
"Italy going home: a failure; rack and ruin," headlines La Gazzetta dello Sport, which says the dismissal of Claudio Marchisio was not an excuse for the result but does accuse referee Marco Rodriguez of doing "damage" to the match. "We've lost everything: the game, the World Cup, the coach and the president -- if you were more naked than that, you would be dead."
The latest controversy surrounding Suarez is given little prominence, with the spotlight turned firmly on the overall performance of a substandard Squadra Azzurra. "We were not eliminated because of this," the paper says, pointing the finger at Mario Balotelli who "disappointed once again."
It calls for radical changes to the Italian game, with an editorial concluding: "We've reached the end of the line. That does not only refer to those who were on the field, but an entire system that must be revolutionised.
"What has happened in Brazil is a severe and disgraceful catastrophe," it says. "Beaten by two nations [Costa Rica and Uruguay] who, when put together, still have fewer inhabitants than Lombardy. One illusory victory [against England], two humiliating defeats.
"There can be no excuses for a side that does not manage even one real shot on goal in two matches; one that never gave the impression that they could, or even wanted to, win."
#Primapagina #Mondiali2014 #Azzurri eliminati, #Prandelli e #Abete si dimettono #ItaliaUruguay http://t.co/3CE3YmlCWW pic.twitter.com/YK0hYojkiE
- Tuttosport (@tuttosport) June 25, 2014Tuttosport leads with a play on words: "Brandelli," which translates as "in tatters." The Turin daily also criticises Balotelli for failing to live up to expectations and claims he left the dressing room and went to sit on the team bus while Andrea Pirlo talked to the squad.
#Primapagina #Mondiali2014 #ItaliaUruguay: AZZERATI... gol di #Godin, #Italia eliminata http://t.co/rcPuGAxNcT pic.twitter.com/wVbTAAoQEs
- Corriere dello Sport (@CorSport) June 25, 2014Finally, Corriere dello Sport joins the chorus of calls for the Italian game to be "reset" and says Massimiliano Allegri, Roberto Mancini and Luciano Spalletti are the three main candidates to take Prandelli's place.
