Coach Roberto Donadoni believes desperate measures and calling up Francesco Totti might be needed to get past the Euro 2008 qualifiers. Totti stated last week that he was going to take a break from playing with the Azzurri until 2007. But after the Italy's 3-1 loss to France on Wednesday and Saturday's 1-1 draw with Lithuania, Donadoni may need the AS Roma player's help. "Italy now needs their champions and I trust that two or three of them will be at my disposal in October," Donadoni said as reported by Calcio Italia. "As for Totti, I know he last said he would not return until next year, but that is not what he had told me. We agreed to speak every once in a while to assess his physical condition." Donadoni had a poor start to his spell as Italy coach, with his side failing to secure a win so far.
Italy weren't playing like world champions Still the boss is looking to Totti, as well as possibly Luca Toni or Alessandro Del Piero to join the world champions' fight for qualification. "I will call him, as I will do with the other world champions who were not in Paris. I don't want all the attention focused on Totti, but Italy now really needs him." "We're five points behind France in the standings, but we still have a chance to come back. The qualifiers are not yet over, so we have to stay optimistic," Donadoni told a press conference after Wednesday's game. But the former AC Milan midfielder did acknowledge that France had the upper hand in the game. "It was difficult out there. France had the home advantage, and maybe we were guilty of lapses in concentration."
