Daniele De Rossi says Zlatan Ibrahimovic's absence an 'advantage' for Italy against Sweden
Wednesday 8 November 2017 16:50, UK
Daniele De Rossi expressed relief on Tuesday that Italy will not have to cope with Zlatan Ibrahimovic when they face Sweden in their World Cup qualifying play-off.
Italy travel to Sweden for the first leg on Friday in Stockholm with the return leg in Milan's San Siro on Monday.
Manchester United striker Ibrahimovic, who is currently recovering from a knee injury, retired from international duty after Euro 2016 and De Rossi believes his absence makes the Swedes far less formidable.
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"I'd never want Ibra against me, not even at 40 years and with a broken leg," said De Rossi. "The fact that there's no Ibrahimovic is an advantage for anyone who has to face them.
"It's not that the rest of them are unknown to us though, we know them because some of them play in Italy and others play in important European leagues."
Italy go into the tie as favourites to progress and De Rossi admits there is pressure on Gian Piero Ventura's side not to miss the World Cup for the first time in 50 years.
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"We're strong, maybe better than Sweden, but there's a little bit of fear that 'right, we have to deliver'," said De Rossi.
"If the World Cup is important for me, when I've already played three, let's think how important it is for those who have never been there.
"What's at stake is so important that the concept of 'blood and sweat' is the right one, we'll give everything but we'll also need composure, organisation, technique and we have to run."
The 34-year-old De Rossi is one of three 2006 World Cup-winning veterans in the Italian squad, alongside goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, 39, and 36-year-old defender Andrea Barzagli.
De Rossi will surpass the 116-mark for the number of caps for Italy in Sweden, a figure he shared with former team-mate Andrea Pirlo. Buffon holds the all-time record of 173.
