The Death of Pope John Paul I

Pope John Paul I (Cardinal Albino Luciani) died on September 28, 1978 (some accounts have it that he died in the early hours of September 29, 1978). He was found dead on his bed by one of his attendants. The Pope was in office only for 33 days, the shortest papacy ever! Rumor has it that the Pope’s death was unnatural. There are various reasons to believe so. This account is a rendering of what might have transpired that fateful night at the apostolic palace in Vatican.

The Cardinal Camerlengo Jean-Marie Villot shuffled uneasily in his chair. The time was just past 11 in the night. It was already getting late and where were they, he thought. He got up from his seat and decided to find out for himself. As he descended the stairs towards the main entrance of the apostolic palace, there was a knot in his stomach which grew with every minute. Things will turn out alright, he assured himself.

When the Camerlengo reached the main entrance, he was relieved to see that all five of the guests had arrived. In order to divert attention from the few tourists who were still roaming the City, the Camerlengo directed two Swiss Guards to escort them through a secret passage to his chamber upstairs. Once upstairs, the guests were seated and exchanged pleasantries for a few minutes. Soon, the discussion turned to the serious matter at hand.

“Is the Holy Father still awake?” asked Archbishop Paul Marcinkus, President of the Vatican Bank.

“Yes, the lights in his room are still on”, Jean-Marie Villot responded.

“I think we should approach him now without wasting further time”, said Licio Gelli, an Italian financier.

“Gelli’s right, we should make a move soon”, chipped in Michele Sindona, another Italian banker.

Camerlengo Jean-Marie Villot looked at Roberto Calvi, Chairman of Banco Ambrosiano and also known as God’s Banker, who nodded his approval.

The fifth person, The Apprentice, smiled at the others. The time had finally arrived. The weeks that he spent planning and practicing will be put to the test tonight, he thought.

“Follow me”, the Camerlengo said and the five guests followed him to the papal chambers. As they approached the chambers, they could see that His Holiness had not yet retired for the night as the lights from his room percolated between the tiny sift between the door and the floor into the hall across the chambers. “He usually goes to bed at about 10 every night. I wonder what’s keeping him up tonight”, Villot commented. “Whatever it is, it is a good sign”, said Gelli.

Jean-Marie Villot found it very difficult to contain the butterflies in his stomach as he twisted the knob to the door of the papal chambers. To his surprise, he found that the door was not locked from the inside and had opened a bit. As he gazed inside, he saw the Holy Father sitting upright on his bed with a couple of documents in his hand. Without so much as looking at the visitors at the untimely hour, Pope John Paul I wished them, “Welcome, gentlemen! I was wondering how long more it would take to see you all”. The five guests and the Camerlengo were shocked and at a loss for words. The Holy Father was expecting them!

Shrugging off the shock, Roberto Calvi was the first to respond. “Holy Father, we saw that you had not retired for the night and just wanted to talk to you”.

“If you wanted to talk to me, you could have done at an earthly hour”, the Pope countered.

Once again, nobody spoke. “Now that you all are here, have a seat”, the Pope invited his visitors.

“Thank You, Holy Father, but we would like to make this quick”, responded Archbishop Marcinkus on behalf of everyone.

“As you wish”, Pope John Paul I consented.

“We have information that you had a meeting with some investigators from the United States and that they gave you information about the dealings of Banco Ambrosiano”, said Roberto Calvi.

“Yes, I did have a meeting. I have information that Banco Ambrosiano is dealing in illegal matters and that the Vatican Bank is helping it”, the Pope replied calmly.

“There is nothing wrong in making profits, Holy Father”, Archbishop Marcinkus chipped in.

“I will not allow the funds of the Holy See channeled into drug trafficking and mafia deals”, the Holy Father asserted.

“We need to only look at the profits”, Michele Sindona spoke for the first time in the presence of the Pope.

“God would not want that, Mr. Sindona”, replied the Pope. “I am now looking at a document that lists members of the Propaganda Due and I’m not surprised to see you all in the list”, he added.

“The Propaganda Due is for the benefit of the Church”, said Gelli.

“And you are the Grandmaster, isn't it Mr. Gelli?” asked the Holy Father. Gelli was shocked that the Holy Father knew so much.

At the time the heated argument was going on, The Apprentice realized that the Holy Father wasn't paying attention to him. Perfect, he thought. Judging by the tone of the conversation, he concluded that things would get more heated. He looked at Gelli who winked back at him. The sign, he thought. I must act now.

The argument between the visitors and the Holy Father continued. “I have signed an order that prevents the Vatican Bank from working with Banco Ambrosiano until Banco Ambrosiano excuses itself from its illegal affairs and comes out clean. I will also release the list of Propaganda Due to the public and affirm that its activities are against the Church”.

“But Holy Father, shouldn’t we wait for some more time?” asked Villot, eager to avoid an ugly confrontation.

“Camerlengo Villot, I’m aghast that you are with these sinners”, said the Pope harshly.

As the argument continued unabated, The Apprentice slowly went to the Pope’s bedside. Without the Pope noticing, he took out a vial of hemlock and poured the contents on to a glass of water which was placed on a table by the bedside. The contents dissolved instantaneously. My job is done, The Apprentice thought. Now the Pope has to drink the glass of water and the mission would be accomplished.

“Once again, Holy Father, we assure you that there is nothing illegal in the activities we do. Because of our efforts, the finances of the Holy See are in a better state than ever”, said Archbishop Marcinkus.

“I do not want to see any tainted money here in the Vatican”, the Pope categorically said. “Mend your ways”, he added.

“Holy Father, we request you to be with us in this and we can reap great rewards”, coerced Calvi.

“Are you trying to bribe the highest office in Christianity? May God forgive you for even thinking of this. This discussion is over. You all may leave now”, the Pope commanded.

Without a word, the guests prepared to leave. As they approached the door, the Pope said, “Today is the 33rd day of my papacy. I will not live to see tomorrow. I believe this person, whose name I do not know, was brought here precisely with this intention”.

The guests froze for a moment. Did he know, each of them thought simultaneously. Recovering soon, they filed out of the room and returned to the Camerlengo’s chambers. It was just approaching midnight.

“We did what we needed to do. If that order and the list come out, then we are finished”, said Gelli.

“Did you get the time to do your job?”, asked Calvi to The Apprentice. “Yes, sir”, he replied.

“Good, now we just have to wait till the morning”, responded Calvi.

“Okay, we better get out of this place before someone sees us”, added Sindona.

“Camerlengo Villot, you did a good job today. You will be rewarded”, said Gelli before leaving.

“Thank You, Mr.Gelli”, said Villot.

Villot saw the guests off through the same secret passage that they came in. Once they departed, he retired to his room and waited for dawn. He would not be able to sleep that night.

The Holy Father was tired after the heated argument and drank the glass of water on the table by his bedside. He then sat on the bed and once again looked at the documents in his hand.

The next morning, at about 5 AM, the Pope was found dead at his bedside clutching the same set of papers he had in his hand during the night.

Subsequent events that unfolded over the years saw the collapse of Banco Ambrosiano in 1982. Roberto Calvi, the bank’s Chairman was found murdered the same year, hanging from the Blackfriars Bridge in London. Archbishop Paul Marcinkus died in 2006 in Sun City, Arizona of causes that, to this day, remain undisclosed. Michele Sindona died in prison in 1986, allegedly poisoned. Licio Gelli, the Grandmaster of Propaganda Due or P2, the clandestine Masonic Lodge, is still alive. Camerlengo Jean-Marie Villot died of pneumonia in 1979, months after John Paul I’s successor, John Paul II was elevated to the papacy by the College of Cardinals.

Nobody knows who The Apprentice is. Not yet.

Cricketers need to augment their skills for greater success and longevity

Playing a sport is demanding. Playing a sport for your country is even more demanding. The game of cricket has seen so many players represent their country with distinction, some of them even playing for as long as 15-20 years. Today, cricketers rarely play beyond 2-3 years for a variety of reasons, not having contributed enough to leave their indelible mark on the game. I could not help but think what action cricketers could take to increase the chances of their success as well as the length of time they play for their country (not by too much, but sufficient enough to reap their potential). The response that my mind gave me was a cricketer needs to cultivate new skills.

Augmenting the skills that a cricketer possesses is vital in determining the career success that he achieves. It could also be an indication of the length of time that he could play for his country. A batsman or a bowler should not be at ease with the skills that he has. In improving those skills, there is the advantage of surprise that you can give your opponents. Of course, these improvements or augmentation cannot happen overnight but the earlier a player takes the effort, and prepares his mind for it, the better the chances of success. A cricketer who is past 30 may not be as successful in this exercise as one who has just turned 20, but the efforts could be well worth it.

For a batsman, this could mean learning to bat both ways – right handed as well as left handed. Every batsman has an innate side and should choose that, always. But it would be a whole lot better to become skilled at batting the other way round as well. It is not as simple as altering the bat grip, but it is as hard as conquering the mind. The view from the opposite side can really do wonders to your game.  The different perspective could serve in strengthening the skills and ironing out the weak spots. It helps to keep a positive spin on things – for example, if you are out of form batting right handed, switching to left handed may be the solution to find the runs flowing again. Of course, sheer hard work would be the motto to get to a level where you can bat both ways. This is an invaluable asset and the earlier this is perfected, the better.

Bowlers are a bit of a difficult proposition. Because there are different kinds of bowlers, it is important to discover what you really need to learn. Obviously a spinner cannot choose to toggle between fast bowling and spin as the demands are poles apart. However, there is nothing that prevents a spinner from switching between off spin, leg spin and left arm spin or a fast bowler to switch from seam to swing or even go ambidextrous. Again, there is a massive adjustment required to the technique. The body should be equipped to master these additional skills. Also important is the judicious utilization - a bowler has a greater chance of getting it wrong than a batsman. Therefore, for a bowler, these skills need to be acquired much earlier than a batsman. Just imagine the advantages of catching your opponents on the wrong foot just when your team needs that extra fizz! The moment predictability is taken out of the equation, the game becomes much more intense and competitive.

The benefits that come out of augmenting these skills could be mind boggling. It is very evident that coaches have a very important role to play in grooming cricketers for this radical change in their technique as well as mindset. Players always look to their coaches when something like this needs to be done. This is hard to implement, but certainly not impossible. The BCCI as well as all the other cricket boards have the responsibility to see that the coaching manuals give due weight to the aspect of improving skills. The coaches need to be effectively educated to enable them to make their wards grasp the importance of an approach that constantly challenges the skills they have and aim for something extra. This is a crucial step in ensuring that we continue to turn out great players who can challenge the records and achievements of those who have walked before them.

Like in any aspect of life, unless we improve upon what we have, things tend to be mundane. With the proliferation of so many international games and a packed cricket calendar, it is no wonder that cricket boards are forced to rest some of their best performers from some of the matches in an effort to keep them fit for more important games. I believe cricketers can appreciate much more about the game and strategize with greater effect if they possess a basket of skills that they could use, rather than just one or two. It is challenges like these that bring out the best sportsmen and let us hope that we continue to have legends in the game of cricket. The next 10 years will no doubt be about cricketers who have multiple skills to adapt to the demands of a game that just keeps on growing. The cricket boards the world over have an unenviable task to ensure that the system recognizes this aspect right from the grassroots.

My 5 favorite dishes from MasterChef Australia 2012

Hope you enjoyed reading my last post on MasterChef Australia. Last week, I had promised this week’s post would be on my five favorite dishes on the show. Picking five dishes out of hundreds I watched on the show is a bit tough, actually. My methodology in picking the five dishes I love the most is simple – I’ll choose three savory and two sweet dishes. These dishes were so much a treat to my eyes that it pains me that I could not taste any of those!

Eight Textured Chocolate Cake – the first dish that I pick from the show has to be this. A connoisseur’s delight, the presentation of this dish was simply awesome. Peter Gilmore, the renowned chef, brought this dish as a challenge in one of the eliminations. Each of the eight textures complements the others so well that the balance of the dessert as a whole is perfect. There is something heavenly about the eighth texture – the hot chocolate sauce. You have to see it to believe it – when you pour the hot sauce on to the middle of the cake, the cake caves in a little – a beautiful sight to behold!

The next dish that I pick as my favorite is a savory dish – Modern Seafood Basket. This probably clinched Andy Allen’s title as the presentation was very beautiful and spot on. It is a marriage of some of Australia’s well known seafood – marron, oyster, abalone and flathead. Of course, each of those has to be cooked to perfection to make the dish a success. The oyster emulsion is just spooned over the dish at the end so as to give the dish a real kick. Breadcrumbs and potatoes give the dish the crunchiness needed.

It was a pity that the contestant who made the next dish did not make it to the finals week. The dish was so out of the ordinary that I questioned whether it would be liked by the judges. To my surprise, they seemed to love this very much. The dish that I pick as my third favorite on the show is Tea Smoked Duck Breast with Chinese inspired Salad by Amina Elshafei. It looked like an amalgamation of the different techniques that Amina was exposed to – Mediterranean, Middle East, Continental Europe and Asian. The choice of tea to smoke the duck breast is probably the trick in the dish as too much strength would give the dish a burnt taste that does not go down well in the mouth and tea that is very light would be overpowered by the taste of the duck. To Amina’s credit, the dish was a great hit on the show. On the MasterChef website, this dish receives a rating of 4.5 on 5 which speaks volumes.

Ranked fourth on my list is a dish that seems so simple in its concoction but looks very beautiful in presentation. Contestant Sam Davis’s Seafood for Two was too good to pass. For me, this is a romantic dish that you can have with your true love on your wedding anniversary. The champagne jelly gives the dish a very subtle edge. The caviar crème fraiche goes well with the dish and it was no wonder that the dish rocked the judges’ world. The presentation of the dish was so out of the world and I actually did wonder whether the dish would fill the appetite of a hungry and love smitten couple. There is no doubt that this dish brings a lot of love to the table!

Lastly, I pick a dish that is a dessert. Melting Moments Biscuits by Julia Taylor established her as the dessert queen on the show. As the name implies, this dish is supposed to melt in your mouth and I’m sure the judges would vouch for this fact. The biscuit itself is a light brown which suggests it needs to be baked for just the right amount of time. Too much of a brownish color would rob the dish of the aesthetic beauty it gives. What melts the mouth is what is sandwiched between the biscuits – vanilla butter cream and raspberry jam. The combination of vanilla and raspberry was a revelation to me. I never thought these two would work together. My mouth is watering as I’m writing this so I can imagine how good it would be to actually eat this.

Having selected my five favorite dishes, it would not do justice if I did not mention the dishes that almost made it to the top five. They are:

Rack of Lamb with Lemon Myrtle and Macadamia Crust

Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta with Cherry Soup

Prawn Stars

Salmon Sashimi with Korean Dressing

Sticky Fig and Caramel Cake with Vanilla Custard

If food had eyes and ears, some of them would forgive me for not listing them in the top five or the ones that almost made it. I’m sure all your mouths would be big oceans now! What are you waiting for, cook yourselves some of those and know how it tastes as well as looks! The recipes for these dishes can be downloaded from the official website of MasterChef Australia - http://www.masterchef.com.au.

A culinary adventure that is a joy to watch

I was never a big fan of cooking. I considered cooking nothing more than a painful chore. I did not care about the ingredients that go into the food or about the balance and the texture of the food. My mind was not of a food critic and was rather of a person who would eat good food whether it is vegetarian or non vegetarian. Of course, I was critical of food that was not cooked properly or that did not taste right, but not like a food critic. That was until I began seeing the show – MasterChef Australia from 2010.

MasterChef Australia is a cooking contest to determine Australia’s best amateur chef every season. From thousands of applicants, a few are shortlisted for the contest and the show proceeds with an elimination process at every stage of the competition. By the process of elimination, the number of contestants is whittled down to a competitive few and the grand finale is to cook a hatted dish – a dish that is worthy enough to be served at hatted restaurants. The winner takes away the title of MasterChef Australia, the opportunity to write their own cookbook plus multiple other benefits.

It really is a pleasure to watch these amateur cooks slug it out on the show. Even though these are amateur cooks, they have the burning desire to become professional cooks one day. It is this desire that attracts them to the show. There is joy in knowing that the dish they cooked was the dish of the day and despair in knowing that the dish was not up to the mark and is a ticket to elimination! The contestants for Season 4 which was aired on Star World till last week came from varied backgrounds such as an electrician, school teacher, account manager, hair stylist and so on and so forth. They all share a common passion – food and cooking – and this is what holds them together. The friendship and bond shared by the contestants was endearing, especially the one between Andy Allen and Ben Milbourne.

Unfortunately, I cannot taste the dishes – the honors for that go to the three good judges – Gary Mehigan, George Calombaris and Matt Preston. While Gary and George are embellished chefs themselves, Matt is a well known food critic. It really is worthwhile to hear from them about balance, texture and other techniques of food. The food that is cooked on the show is encouraging; it is not junk food, but very healthy food. The contestants sure have a fair idea of what is good for the health when they set out to cook. I’m sure millions over the world watching the show will be as inspired to devour healthy food that is good for their body and mind.

The title of MasterChef Australia 2012 was coveted by an electrician named Andy Allen who cooked his heart out in the grand finale against the dessert queen of the show, Julia Taylor. The final itself was aired in three episodes – one for the entrée, one for the main course and one for the dessert. Andy said post winning that nobody would have bet on him winning the competition, which was true. I had my favorites on the show – Dalvinder, Debra, Beau, Emma (despite her inability to not cry in front of cameras!) and the big Wade and never expected Andy to clinch the deal. Of course, this impression changed first on the Italy week (the contestants flew to Italy to cook Italian food for Italians!) when his presentation skills improved dramatically. From then on, I knew he was a serious contender for the title. Julia surprised with her ability to cook savory dishes in the finals week but honestly, I did not expect her to make the grand finale. Andy was a worthy winner in the end as his main course outscored Julia’s and his dessert was, surprisingly, better than Julia’s as well.

There is so much to tell about this show that one post would hardly be enough. Next week, I’ll talk about my five favorite dishes on the show. For fans of cooking out there, it’s an opportunity to try out some mind blowing dishes! Don’t miss it!

To retire, or not to retire, that is the question

Learn to live well, or fairly make your will;
You've played, and loved, and ate, and drunk your fill:
Walk sober off; before a sprightlier age
Comes tittering on, and shoves you from the stage:
Leave such to trifle with more grace and ease,
Whom Folly pleases, and whose Follies please.
— Alexander Pope

From the time when the India – New Zealand test series concluded and over the past week, there have been numerous articles and stories on Sachin Tendulkar and what has gone wrong with him. Sanjay Manjrekar and Martin Crowe gave interesting insights and here I want to pen my thoughts as well. Readers will apologize if I’m blunt but these are my genuine thoughts on a player I deeply respect and like watching play.

Back in the late 1980s and early 1990s cricketers were simple minded individuals who wanted to represent their country at the highest level – Test cricket. One-day internationals were crowd pullers but Test cricket was considered the highest test of a players’ competence. It was during this time that I too began to watch and study the game seriously. Being an Indian, Sachin Tendulkar was something of an exciting character because he started playing for India at a very tender age. He used to play in the lower middle order then but as I watched him play his shots my love and admiration for the guy only increased. He was playing Test cricket facing ferocious pace bowlers and I could barely put bat to ball!

The 1992 World Cup made me adore Tendulkar even more because among a team of elderly men, there was this bubbly young lad whose ambition and zeal was supreme. A substandard performance saw India bow out before the semi-finals but a crucial wicket he took in the match against Pakistan remains forever imprinted in my memory. Pakistan went on to win the World Cup despite losing to India that day. As I watched Imran Khan proudly receive the trophy, I had no clue he would announce his retirement. Who would retire after such a big achievement was how my thoughts went. Of course I was only 13 at the time and realized the importance of the decision only at a later stage in my life.

Time passed on and Sachin Tendulkar became a personification of batting perfection and was on his way to become a colossus. As I saw through his statistics sometime in 1998 – a glorious year for him – I couldn’t help wondering how many he would score and that depended on how long he played. I didn’t want him to stop because those numbers and projections were mind-boggling. It would be proud for me as an Indian to see him making 20,000 Test runs, for that was what my calculations had yielded.

As he reached mid-career there were some slumps but like a great sportsman he overcame those and became stronger. The loss of his father was a big blow to him but perhaps his hunger for scoring increased more as his eyes searched the sky after each milestone – was he proving something to his father? The early 2000s was a period where the team started to find its groove under a stubborn captain – Sourav Ganguly. By 2003, Sachin knew that the Ganguly era was there to stay and that he could bat unreservedly without being saddled with the burden of captaincy. The World Cup of 2003 provided ample testimony of his burning desire to win a world title but he chose the wrong time to peak – the semi-final against Kenya rather than in the final against Australia.

By the late 2000s, India had drawn a better picture of themselves as tourists and Sachin was eating away at records galore. Age was catching up with him and the rate of scoring evidently decelerated – a sign that he was maturing as a player and was willing to grind for the runs. Greg Chappell came and went, he played under Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble and Mahendra Singh Dhoni and as we approached the second decade of the 21st century, he seemed to have no parallels. Of course, Ricky Ponting and Jacques Kallis were breathing down his neck but the gap was too far to bridge.

The 2011 World Cup was held in the Indian Subcontinent. Sachin would be 38 at the end of the tournament and I thought – what a perfect occasion for him to hang his boots. The team won the World Cup and on the night of April 2, 2011, as he was chaired by Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina, I couldn’t help but wonder whether he would do an Imran Khan on the night. When he didn’t, there was a tinge of disappointment in me. By the age of 32, I could understand what Imran Khan’s gesture in 1992 meant and what an opportunity Sachin had frittered away. It was the opportunity that God gave him on a platter to go out with his head held high in his proudest moment.

Today, he is past 39 and says he is not finished yet. But watching him miss full length deliveries and the dismay on his face, I feel very sorry for him.  He is unable to control his body even if he is fully conscious in his mind when he faces bowlers. What is he trying to prove today? That cricketers can play past 40? That his records are not safe? I really do not know but I do know that 15,500 runs in test cricket and 18,400 runs in One-Day Internationals is a staggering achievement. He really does not have anything else to play for. Those records are unparalleled and unlikely to be broken anytime. He should humbly realize that his body has reached a level where it is unlikely to respond like it did 10 years back.

When I look at his statistics today, I’m impressed and not the least bit disappointed that he has not scored 20,000 Test runs yet. But unlike in 1998, I want him to stop because his time is up. It is still not late to call a press conference and make the announcement. The nation adores him and will continue to do so even after he calls it a day. Of course, he has gone on record that nobody needs to advise him on retirement. People including me talk about his retirement because we love him and cannot watch him playing like a zombie. If he chooses to play against the wishes of his ageing body, then his eventual exit will be embarrassing.  Before a sprightly young cricketer comes and knocks him off the stage, it is better to walk off.

Italy needs to surprise Spain for wresting the European crown

Two teams – one that was expected to reach the summit clash and one that was mired in controversy and was least expected to reach the final – make up for a cracking culmination to the three week long Euro 2012 Championships.  Spain comes on the back of their Euro 2008 and World Cup 2010 triumphs and start as big favorites. Italy have fallen off the charts since their 2006 World Cup win and are in the process of rebuilding. The match fixing controversy back home does not seem to have affected them and they have very well earned the right to play the final on Sunday.

While Spain start as firm favorites for Sunday’s big match, the Italians can upset their applecart by playing some intelligent football and not being overawed either by the occasion or by the opponents. In Gianluigi Buffon, they have one of the best goalkeepers not just in Europe but the whole world. At 34, he brings a lot of experience to the young squad.  With such a safe pair of hands, the Italian defence has a little breathing space but still will have to be very tight against the marauding Spanish midfielders. Christian Maggio, Giorgio Chiellini, Federico Balzaretti and Leonardo Bonucci should be the defenders that Coach Cesar Prandelli picks for tomorrow’s game. Chiellini and Bonucci can easily switch flanks without compromising their natural game and Maggio and Balzaretti can well complement each other in the pivotal central defence.

The selection of midfielders can be tricky for Prandelli. If I were the Italian coach, I would go with Daniele De Rossi, Riccardo Montolivo, Andrea Pirlo and Alessandro Diamanti. The choice is really between Diamanti and Antonio Nocerino but the Bologna midfielder could get the nod because he is far more attacking than Nocerino. The Italians should always have a surprise up their sleeve because it is so powerful a weapon to outsmart your opponents. Emmanuele Giacherini could well be that surprise package if he comes on sometime during the second half.

The Italians are known to adopt the catenaccio style but with some superb forwards in their line up, they can really afford to play two of them tomorrow – the unlikely duo of Mario Balotelli and Antonio Di Natale.  With their differences in style of play, they could be more than a handful as a pair.  For that, they need to put way their apparent dislike for each other in the locker rooms. Fabio Borini and Sebastian Giovinco are unlikely to get chances in the pressure game.

The 4-4-2 formation is the most likely to get the Italians a result in their favor. Bonucci can feed passes on to the dangerous Pirlo or the hardworking Montolivo and then Balotelli and Natale will have to ensure that the chances they get are converted. Chiellini could have one-on-one efforts with De Rossi that can be damaging to the Spanish midfield and defence opening up plenty of opportunities for Balotelli and Di Natale to exploit. Italy will have to look to attack and score the early goal. The catenaccio could be reserved for the final ten minutes of play.

Spain will be well aware of the dangers that the talented Italian players pose. They have the advantage of a well set team and a group of players that understand each other really well. Iker Casillas will no doubt be guarding the Spanish bastion with his defenders likely to be Gerard Pique, Sergio Ramos, Alvaro Arbeloa and the impressive Jordi Alba. Unfortunately for Spain, these defenders do not have the capability to switch flanks like their Italian counterparts and this could prove decisive.

Five midfielders and one forward should be Coach Vicente Del Bosque’s plan for retaining the title. Andres Iniesta, Xavi Hernandez, Cesc Fabregas and Xabi Alonso pick themselves. The competition for the fifth midfielder’s slot could be between Jesus Navas and David Silva. Frankly, there is nothing to choose between them and both of them deserve a place in the playing eleven. But, probably only one of them will play, leaving room for Del Bosque to pick Fernando Torres. They will really need this because the struggles in regulation time to score a goal against Portugal cannot be repeated in the big match. The Italian defence is far better than Portugal’s. With Torres’ uncanny finishing, Spain would definitely be the better side. Torres is angry at having been sidelined and there really is nothing like a wounded lion.

Spain’s strategy would be to negate the Italian defence with through passes to Torres or Fabregas who can play a bit more forward than he usually does. Iniesta’s playmaking skills will be very important to counter the one-on-one dance that the pair of Chiellini – De Rossi is capable of offering. Gerard Pique will have the unenviable task of stopping the tall Balotelli. Jordi Alba’s quick runs through the left can be effective for Fabregas and Torres to capitalize on.

Italy will certainly need to have the surprise element at some point of time in the match to take the initiative while Spain will look to control the outcome by waiting for their opponents to make mistakes. While a mouth-watering penalty shootout with two of the best goalkeepers in the world is certainly something to watch out for, it would pain me to see the winners being decided on the shootout. Nevertheless, a win would be fitting for both teams – for Spain, to prove that their past record of perennial underachievers is unquestionably put to rest and for Italy, to go home with their heads held high in spite of all the negative things happening to their football association as well as players.  May the better team win!