Marchisio's the playmaker

SESTRIERE, Italy (AP):

Juventus midfielder Claudio Marchisio is set to be the playmaker in Italy's World Cup team.

"I really like him in that position because of all the midfielders, he's the one who moves the most without the ball," coach Marcello Lippi said yesterday. "He inserts himself and accompanies the action and finds the open spaces. Plus, he helps with coverage in midfield."

Lippi said he was designing a "modern team, with only one true striker and nine other players who defend and attack".

During a 60-minute training match against fifth-division club Russi, Marchisio started in the playmaker role in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Vincenzo Iaquinta on the right wing, Antonio Di Natale on the left flank and Alberto Gilardino at centreforward.

Gianluigi Buffon was in goal, Christian Maggio lined up at right back, Leonardo Bonucci and Fabio Cannavaro were the centre backs, Gianluca Zambrotta was left back and Gennaro Gattuso and Andrea Pirlo played in central midfield.

In the second half, Mauro Camoranesi replaced Di Natale and took up his usual spot on the right wing, with Iaquinta shifting to the left.

Italy won 8-0 with three goals from Di Natale, two each from Gilardino and Iaquinta and one from Zambrotta.

Once Giorgio Chiellini recovers from a calf injury, he will likely regain his starting spot at either centre or left back, and Daniele De Rossi is almost certain to replace Gattuso once he recovers from a minor backache.