Veteran Trapattoni returns to Italy for World Cup 2010 qualifier

Italy's world champion coach Marcello Lippi expressed his respect for, and a slight amount of fear of, Giovanni Trapattoni before welcoming his Irish squad Wednesday in Bari for an emotionally charged World Cup 2010 qualifier.

"Trapattoni was a reference point for our generation, for his cunning, determination and commitment," Lippi said.

"At 70, he still has the enthusiasm of a kid and he's traveled around the world to teach football. That's why I say that on April 1 he can play us some trick." Lippi, who turns 61 in April, twice followed the path of "the Trap" on the benches of Juventus, in 1994, and of Italy's national team in 2004.

Although Trap won titles in Italy, Germany, Austria and Portugal, his four-year stint with the Azzurri bore no fruit both at the 2002 World Cup and at Euro 2004, while Lippi lifted Italy's fourth World Cup in 2006.

Also sitting on the Irish bench as assistant coach is Marco Tardelli, 54, who won the World Cup in 1982 as player and in 2000 took over Inter Milan from Lippi after winning a continental title as Italy's youth team coach.

After the handshakes the coaches will exchange at the San Nicola stadium, the game is likely to offer plenty of action as Ireland look to bounce back after falling two points behind Italy.

The world champions now lead Group 8 on 13 points thanks to a 2-0 win at Montenegro Saturday, while a late own goal from Kevin Kilbane held Ireland to a 1-1 home draw with Bulgaria.

"It's obvious that we are disappointed for not taking all the three available points, but we are still in a good position," Trapattoni said.

"We have often told ourselves that we don't fear Italy, therefore on Wednesday we can go there and win."

The Azzurri are weakened up front by the absences of world champions Luca Toni and Alberto Gilardino and also lost Antonio Di Natale Saturday, but Lippi said he doesn't need a replacement as he fully relies on the pack of five strikers he called up.

Giuseppe Rossi, far younger than Di Natale but just as fast, should play next to Vincenzo Iaquinta and Giampaolo Pazzini, who made the best of debuts by scoring Italy's second goal against Montenegro.

Despite playing on home turf, Lippi's squad can expect protests from fringes of disgruntled Bari fans who have not digested the absence of in-form hometown hero Antonio Cassano.

Sapa-dpa