Italian Prep for U20 and Serie A/B go artificial

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Seeing as Canada is going the artificial turf route it is good to see the big name players going the same way hence fewer excuses not to play in Canada.

From the Italian FA

Serie A and B can use artificial fields starting next season

Rome 15/03/2005

http://www.figc.it/english/primo_piano_03/primo_piano_03.htm

Fields in artificial turf, starting from the 2005/2006 season, doe the A and B series teams that want to use them: the Federal Board that met today at the FIGC offices in Via Allegri approved, in line with the decisions made by Fifa and Uefa, to use fields in artificial turf as long as the norms and requirements contained in the international regulations that will be effective starting next league season are respected.

http://www.figc.it/english/primo_piano_02/primo_piano_02.htm

Colombia, Syria and Canada will be the opponents of Italy in the final phase of the Under 20 world Cup that will be played in The Netherlands from June 10th to July 2nd. The Italians will play in the city of Tilburg. The draw for the groups was carried out on Sunday in Utrecht.

The National team coached by Paolo Berrettini is one of the 7 European team qualified for the final phase, together with The Netherlands, the host country, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine, Switzerland and Germany (the last two are opponents of Italy in the Four Nations tournament).

The Under 20 team still has three important tests before the World Cup: On March 30th in Imola against Switzerland, second to last match of the "Four nations" tournament; on April 13th a friendly match against Russia; on April 27th last match of the "Four Nations" tournament in Austria.

Canada's prep

http://www.canadian-soccer.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=6237

Going to Germany in April, play an Asian opponent as a gauge for Syria, come home for 7 or 8 days and then go to US or Central America and play South American or Concacaf opponent similar to Columbia, break for 7 or 8 days and finalise in France close to Tilburg NL. Five teams will be in Lille, France, play some exhibitions against them.