Rocchi to Olympics

ROME, June 20, 2008 (AFP) - Italy coach Pierluigi Casiraghi is expected to name AC Milan's Daniele Bonera and Lazio's Tomasso Rocchi as his over-age players for the Olympic football tournament, it was reported Friday.

Bonera was a member of the Italy team that won the bronze medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics, alongside the likes of Andrea Pirlo, Daniele De Rossi and Andrea Barzagli who all went on to win the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

Each squad of 18 is allowed three over-age players.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Casiraghi has targeted the 27-year-old Milan defender as he can cover both centre-back and fullback; something the coach feels is necessary with a match every three days, beginning with Honduras on August 7.

Rocchi meanwhile hit 14 Serie A goals for a struggling Lazio team in 2007-08 and at 30 years of age is viewed as the experienced head that the squad will need.

One player who is facing a struggle to make it to China is Fiorentina midfielder Riccardo Montolivio. His club is reluctant to release him for Beijing as the Games clash with their Champions League qualifying matches.

Should the Florence club not release him Montolivio will have missed both major summer tournaments, having been the last player overlooked for Euro 2008.

Well it looks like two great laziali will meet in China, and no surprise that Pierluigi has found his "experienced head" right here in Lazio

this is bad for us because it means we lose a very important player for at least 3 weeks

Still, it isn't ideal to have a key player compete in China during pre-season training. He probably won't be in his best condition when he returns. Still, it's good for the club to have a player in the national team.

i'm glad rocchi is reguarded as an experienced leader, though it may hurt to have him gone from training, i'm sure the olympic team can keep him in good shape.

No problem I think, he's one of few in our squad who can adapt well within this team.
Furthermore, Rossi is still the coach so Rocchi can go and back and gain something.

I don't like this at all. Olympic games
Our team needs badly the services of Rochi and Pandev and if something is not right with them we are in grave danger. Thats why I prefer Rochi to stay with Lazio. He should help Rossi and the probable new players with building our new team.

I'm happy for Tommaso, but I fear this can affect our season... Apart from De Silvestri and Kolarov, Rocchi will miss the preseason training camp with Lazio too. All of them will miss the Coppa Italia preliminary round.

Conn wrote:

I'm happy for Tommaso, but I fear this can affect our season... Apart from De Silvestri and Kolarov, Rocchi will miss the preseason training camp with Lazio too. All of them will miss the Coppa Italia preliminary round.

That was exactly my concerns. We are not Inter to have 100 good players , we have just a few top class and cant afford to jeopardize them and hence all our performance .
Because we really need to make good start and obtain the necessary self confidence.

I am happy for him, he's getting a recognition some how, he's not 20 years old anymore, so that should lift his spirits up which is a good thing, i don't wanna preserve a striker when he deserves a chance to represent his nation, which can be considered as an honor btw.

This is not good news for Lazio !!!


It could be for Rocchi cause he wants to acheive somthin with his national team, but overall its not good for lazio or for Rocchi at his age for stamina

Well...i`m afraid about injury stuff more then fatigue or something else. You never know what may happen..but like i know Rocchi..he should be ok. Of course..prolly he`ll need 2 weeks or some to be 100% after he gets back..but we can`t take him away this oportunity..to represent his country at olympic games. I think he offered us enaugh already..including staying :)

This feels like an insult after he was kicked out of the Euro squad.

Imagine if we are in the CL! We could lose 3 important players for the olympics.

The likes of Messi and Ronaldhino will play to, so I dont think it is an insult! Many players lunched their career through the olympics, even though Rocchi is getting older but it was so difficult for him to be in EURO esp. With Del Piero, Cassano, Quarigelia, and Borellio on fire!

what about Carrizo? Will he play also?

No problem for Rocchi playing in the Olimpics, imagine if he collected a gold medal! If I was a player I'd jump at the chance, and I really don't think it will harm us much. He's one of the fittest players we have and he is already established in the team so wouldn't really matter if he missed our pre-season preporations.

winger wrote:

Still, it isn't ideal to have a key player compete in China during pre-season training. He probably won't be in his best condition when he returns. Still, it's good for the club to have a player in the national team.

Welcome back Winger!

The Big Payback wrote:

This feels like an insult after he was kicked out of the Euro squad.

he wasnt kicked out of any Euro squad

he was never in the Euro squad because he wasnt good enough. I love my Lazio but the Azzurri are a world class national team and it is hard to make the seniors

definitely not an insult

unfortunately true. rocchi did very little when he was called up to the national side.

Nice to see a Lazio player in the NT :) Let's hope Rocchi does well

We should be all proud for rocchi! i am extremely happy for him and I am sure he will be fit enough.

martinese wrote:

Nice to see a Lazio player in the NT :) Let's hope Rocchi does well

I believe Lorenzo De Silvestri is on the team as well... You'll have to correct me if I'm wrong but I remember reading that somewhere...

Well if It's true then I'll be twice happy then I'm now

Yes Lorenzo De Silvestri is part of the U-21 which is almost the same team members of the Olympics with exception that Casiraghi can add 3 players from the senior players.

Anywaythere is updates on this case that Lazio is yet to agree on this one before, I don't know how many people follow the news daily but Galiani refused to let Bonera to join the olympics because he will miss the pre-season training despite that Milan is not playing in the CL , while Fiorentina will do the same for Montilivo because he will miss the CL qualifications!

Great honor for him i think. He can come back and be on top form in Lazio!

Well done to both Tommaso and Lorenzo!
Great news for them both and Lazio aswell!

Will miss them for a few weeks but they deserve to represent their country!
Forza Rocchi and De Silvestri!

also Kolarov will be representing Serbia.

I'm Italian so would rather see Rocchi and Lorenzo do well, but would be happy to see Kolarov bang a couple of free kicks in, as long as its not against the Azzurri.