It's going to be a Juventus reunion when Italy meets Ireland in a friendly in Belgium on Tuesday.
During the early 1980s when Giovanni Trapattoni managed Juventus, two of his players were Marco Tardelli and Cesare Prandelli.
Trapattoni is now the Ireland coach, Tardelli is his assistant and Prandelli coaches Italy.
The trio spent a total of six seasons together in Turin, from 1979 to 1985, and their reunion threatens to overshadow the action on the pitch in Liege, where both Trapattoni and Prandelli plan to play their reserves.
''Trapattoni is the top. It will be emotional to see him again,'' Prandelli said. ''I know he'll give me advice. He was one of the first people to call me when I accepted this job. He's got an incredible amount of strength. I don't know if I would have the patience to be where he is at the age of (72).''
Trapattoni had a relatively unsuccessful stint as Italy coach at the 2002 World Cup and 2004 European Championship, and after winning the 2006 World Cup under Marcello Lippi, the Azzurri struggled again at last year's World Cup, when they were eliminated in the first round.
However, since Prandelli replaced Lippi after the failure in South Africa the Azzurri have gone unbeaten in six official matches and hold a comfortable five-point lead in European Championship qualifying Group C following a 3-0 win over Estonia on Friday.
Ireland, which still hasn't forgotten Thierry Henry's hand ball that prevented it from qualifying for last year's World Cup, is level on points with Russia and Slovakia at the top of Group B after a 2-0 win at Macedonia on Saturday, courtesy of two goals from Robbie Keane.
''It's going to be tough to qualify for the Euros but we believe we can and we want to really badly,'' Tardelli told the Gazzetta dello Sport. ''While we've gotten over the bitterness of Henry's hand ball, the scar still remains.''
Ireland has excused Keane, John O'Shea, Kevin Kilbane and first-choice goalkeeper Shay Given from the trip, with Trapattoni announcing a new forward pairing of Shane Long and Andrew Keogh.
Likewise, Prandelli will rest first-choice goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and forward Antonio Cassano, calling on Bologna 'keeper Emiliano Viviano and Inter Milan striker Giampaolo Pazzini instead.
Prandelli announced the following lineup: Viviano in goal; Mattia Cassani, Alessandro Gamberini, Giorgio Chiellini and Domenico Criscito in defense; Claudio Marchisio, Andrea Pirlo and Antonio Nocerino in midfield; and Riccardo Montolivo directing Giuseppe Rossi and Pazzini in attack.
Rossi, who scored the opener against Estonia, and Pazzini, who came off the bench to score the third goal, fit the Barcelona model of shorter, more technical strikers that Prandelli is aiming for.
At 1.73 meters (5-foot-8), Rossi is Prandelli's prototypical modern forward, while Pazzini is 1.80 meters (5-foot-11), Cassano is 1.75 meters (5-foot-9) and reserve playmaker Sebastian Giovinco measures just 1.64 meters (5-foot-5).
''Cesare has players suited for that type of football,'' Tardelli noted.
Italy has called up an extra defender for the match - Angelo Obinze Ogbonna from Serie B side Torino.
Ogbonna was born in Italy to Nigerian parents.
''I've always felt Italian. I turned down an offer from the Nigeria team a while back and I'm pleased with my choice,'' Ogbonna said.
