Lippi to consider Amauri

Juve striker in the frame for Italy call-up

Last updated: 19th April 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Lippi to consider Amauri

Amauri: Eligible for Italy

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Marcello Lippi is willing to consider naturalised Italian Amauri for World Cup duty this summer.

The Brazil-born Juventus striker obtained citizenship last week and has previously expressed a desire to turn out for his adopted home.

The 29-year-old has never represented the land of his birth and failed to make his one and only call-up to date, in 2009, as Juve blocked the request saying it had come too late.

Amauri is now hoping he will be handed an international lifeline by Italy, with the World Cup providing him with an ideal opportunity to prove his worth and commitment to the cause.

Lippi is willing to take the Juve ace into consideration, but insists he cannot offer guarantees to anyone at this stage.

Emotion

"It was a good idea of (former Italy coach Roberto) Donadoni to have Amauri obtain Italian citizenship and when I returned to the national team I said I was in favour because he's an important player," said Lippi.

"The choice Amauri made was not an easy one. He dearly wanted to become an Italian citizen, you could see it in the emotion he showed during the swearing-in ceremony."

While Lippi is willing to consider Amauri, he has ruled out the prospect of selecting Inter Milan's Thiago Motta - another Brazilian who has expressed a desire to join the Azzurri fold.

The experienced coach must also decide whether to include Amauri in his squad or plump for the likes of Marco Borriello, Giampaolo Pazzini and Fabio Quagliarella who have all been more prolific this season.