3 Jun 2010

Lippi denies 2006 team bias

6:34 am on 3 June 2010

Italy's coach Marcello Lippi has scoffed at claims he is overly faithful to the players who won the World Cup with him in 2006 in Germany.

Italy leave next week for South Africa as they aim to defend the title they won in Berlin four years ago after a penalty shoot-out victory against France in the final.

But despite having only nine of those players in his 23-man squad, Lippi still feels criticised for not bringing in enough new blood.

He says he can't leave 23 players at home just because they were in Berlin in 2006.