2010 FIFA World Cup - Why Italy's Group F Was the Real Group of Death

In every World Cup, analysts identify a Group of Death. This is supposed to be a tough group with at least three top teams. The design of such a group is such that a top team is guaranteed to go home. In the 2006 World Cup, the Group of Death consisted of Argentina, Holland, Ivory Coast, and Serbia and Montenegro. Three of those sides have a rich World Cup history, while the Ivory Coast had several top European-based players in their side. The 2010 edition saw Group G designated as the Group of Death, with Brazil, Portugal, Ivory Coast and Portugal.

Before the second round of group matches, Group G seemed to be the Group of Death, particularly after North Korea's gutsy performance. However, it is easy for a team to be "gutsy" without posing a threat to a team's defence - as Trinidad and Tobago demonstrated at the 2006 World Cup. North Korea turned out to be a weak pretender, while the Ivory Coast flattered to deceive, In the end, the real Group of Death was one that many wrote off as the easiest group.

Italy, Paraguay, Slovakia and New Zealand comprised the toughest group, not based on empty pre-tournament expectations, but on actual performance. One team went unbeaten in this group and failed to qualify, while a top team failed to qualify. Italy crashed out in their last match against Slovakia, while New Zealand collected three points from three games without defeat. Paraguay topped the group with only five points.

What made this group so tough was that everyone expected Italy to pound Slovakia after being forced into a corner. Unlike England, who had an easy game against a mediocre Slovenian side in Group C, the Slovakians came to play. There are a few reasons why Group F is my choice as the Group of Death.

1. Giant-killing

A top team should fail to qualify from a tough group. Italy, as defending champions, are far bigger fish than Ivory Coast, who were appearing in their second World Cup and did not get past the group stage before.

2. Exciting final round

In the final round of matches, all four teams in Group F had the chance to qualify or go out. Everyone had something for which to play. What made this more interesting was that cellar-placed Slovakia had an excellent chance to qualify if they beat Italy. That is exactly what happened. Paraguay, at the top of the group going into the final group game, knew that they needed to get at least one point to qualify.

3. Close finish

The final point analysis in Group F was as follows:

1. Paraguay - 5 points

2. Slovakia - 4 points

3. New Zealand - 3 points

4. Italy - 2 points

Few would have expected Italy to finish bottom of the group or New Zealand to play unbeaten throughout the group stage. That group F had two major surprises converted it from the weakest team into a group of death, where one slip-up could see you home - as the Italians discovered.

Italy's Match Rigging Scandal - How Cheating Didn't Pay for Juventus

One of the best known football teams in Italy is Juventus, who are based in Turin, but despite of their impressive performance on the pitch the 2006-2007 season has seen them relegated to the Serie B for the first time in their history.

In fact Juventus finished the previous season at the top of the Serie A league, their relegation - and a starting deficit of 9 points - was all due to a scandal that rocked Italian football and saw sanctions applied to a total of 4 first division clubs, although Juventus was hardest hit and the only one to be eventually relegated.

Juventus and the other three teams - AC Milan, Fiorentina, and Lazio - were all found guilty of influencing game in their favour by having favourable referees appointed to important matches.

The sentence imposed on the four clubs was draconian to say the least - Juventus, which was hardest hit was stripped of its previous 2 league titles, banned from participating in Champions League, relegated to Serie C1 and docked 30 points, while the other teams were relegated to Serie B with fewer points deducted.

On appeal all the teams had their sentences reduced, so that only Juventus was relegated, but to Serie B, and the 30 point penalty was initially reduced to 17 and later only 9 - the equivalent of winning 3 matches with no points awarded.

The relegation saw several players leave Juventus; Emerson and Fabio Cannavaro both moved to Real Madrid, for where the Juventus manager, Fabio Capello, had already departed, while FC Barcelona signed Gianluca Zambrotta and Lilian Thuram.

Some players did remain loyal however, and the team's performance in Serie B has been impressive. Although they drew in the first match, Juventus won each of the following eight games with only one goal conceded and they remained undefeated until January.

At the time of writing in mid April, Juventus has only lost 2 matches, drawn 8 and won 22. With 10 more matches to play they are not unbeatable due to their 9-point deficit, but if they continue to perform at this level they are sure to re-enter the top division in the 2007-2008 season.

Let us hope that Juventus recaptures its previous glory, but perhaps more importantly, steers clear of behaviour that is in clear breach of good sporting conduct.