EURO 2008 INFO

Football legend Diego Maradona has declared that Italy national team coach Roberto Donadoni simply must take Alessandro Del Piero to Euro 2008.

Del Piero has not played for his country for more than eight months, and his participation at this summer’s finals were, until recently, believed to be in huge doubt.

However the Juventus skipper has been in mesmerising form over the past few months or so, and there has been a national campaign in the press to see him chosen.

The latest high profile figure to declare his support to Del Piero is Argentine legend Diego Maradona.

"I have always admired Del Piero," said the greatest footballer of all time.

"If I was coach, he would always be in my team.”

Del Piero’s chances of travelling to Austria and Switzerland were boosted yesterday when his club team-mate Vincenzo Iaquinta was ruled out for around a month with injury.

Maradona, who is in Italy currently ahead of his participation next week in a charity match organised by Roma captain Francesco Totti and singer Eros Ramazzotti, also believes that the Azzurri must go to Euro 2008 with the intention of winning the tournament.

"Italy must go to the Euros to win," concluded the former Napoli hero.