Il Trap's Juventus winning Scudetto 1986
Republic of Ireland senior team manager Giovanni Trapattoni confirmed on Sunday he has released a number of his players from the squad following their crucial win in Macedonia.
Ireland will play their final game before the summer break on Tuesday evening against Italy at a neutral venue in Liege, Belgium, where there will be a strong Juventus flavour as during the 1980s Trapattoni managed both Marco Tardelli and Italy coach, Cesare Prandelli.
The trio spent a total of six seasons together in Turin, from 1979 to 1985, and their reunion threatens to overshadow the action on the pitch in Liege, where both Trapattoni and Prandelli plan to play their reserves.
Prandelli will rest first-choice goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and forward Antonio Cassano, calling on Bologna keeper Emiliano Viviano and Inter Milan striker Giampaolo Pazzini instead.
The Italy team has already been announced: Viviano; Mattia Cassani, Alessandro Gamberini, Giorgio Chiellini, Domenico Criscito, Claudio Marchisio, Andrea Pirlo, Antonio Nocerino, Riccardo Montolivo, Giuseppe Rossi and Giampaolo Pazzin.
For the Republoc of Ireland Robbie Keane, John O'Shea, Kevin Kilbane, Shay Given and Keith Fahey has been excused for the trip.
Trapattoni did reveal that a new strike-force of Shane Long and Andrew Keogh will lead the attack and other substitutes from Skopje are in line to start this friendly match.
The Italian said on Sunday afternoon: "We had 26 or 27 players in the squad originally. Now we will give priority to those who came and played. I don't forget about (Darron) Gibson or (Marc) Wilson or any of the others. But obviously they have to deserve their place back."
On the topic of 2012 Euro qualification prospects, Trapattoni went on to predict that the tightness surrounding the leadership race for Group B - which sees Ireland tied with Russia and Slovakia on 13 points - will ensure the outcome does not be determined until the last round of matches in October.
"It may be possible to the answer the question after the two games in September (against Slovakia and Russia) but in my opinion it may come down to the last game," said Trapattoni.
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