PREVIEW: Slovenia and Italy play tense Euro 2012 qualifier

Slovenia and Italy vie for first place in their qualification group to Euro 2012 when they meet Friday for a high-voltage tie in the Slovenian capital.
The Azzurri lead Group C on 10 points from four games, but their Eastern neighbours can draw even on points and leapfrog them with a win in the direct clash as the qualification campaign reaches its halfway mark.
Slovenia are a young football federation born in 1992 after the break-up of the former Yugoslavia. Rivalry with Italy has always been fierce, with small group of nationalist fans occasionally looking back to territorial conflicts from World War II.

Police have stepped up security measures inside and around Ljubljana's Stozice stadium ahead of the game Italy enter with 10 points to Slovenia's seven.
Unusual for a country where political scandals abound, but very seldom have effects on those involved, Italy's coach Cesare Prandelli stuck to his ethical code and left home midfielder Daniele De Rossi and striker Mario Balotelli over the suspensions received for violent fouls during recent international club games.

Italy's attack remains quite solid despite the absence of Balotelli, with AC Milan's Antonio Cassano and Giampaolo Pazzini of Inter Milan playing together upfront as they did earlier this season at Sampdoria.

Alberto Gilardino, Alessandro Matri, Giuseppe Rossi are ready to come as they have displayed good form throughout the season.

Stefano Mauri of Lazio, a midfielder likely to play behind the Azzurri's striking package, said that "the one in Ljubljana will be an important but not decisive game. Winning in Slovenia would give us an advantage to qualify. We will go there and play our game."

Veteran goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon said that "you can never be the favourite when you play away against emerging teams who are beginning to have high-level elements.

In any case, we do not feel to be inferior. We will go and play an intelligent game to secure the qualification as soon as possible."

Prandelli called up for the first time midfielder Marco Parolo from Serie A minnows Cesena and is likely to give Federico Balzaretti a second chance as left back.

The Palermo mainstay may have to tackle his team-mates Josip Ilicic and Armin Bacinovic as they man the Slovenian midfield.

But coach Matjaz Kek also relies on other players from the Italian Serie A as Udinese's Samir Handanovic is to keep goal and the towering Bostjan Cesar of Chievo playing as central defender.