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Italy wants to start anew against Estonia

Italy is intent on starting anew after its disastrous first-round World Cup exit, and Friday’s European Championship qualifier at Estonia is coach Cesare Prandelli’s first real test.

When he coached Parma and Fiorentina, Prandelli’s teams often showed a lot of flair and he has declared he wants the Azzurri to create a better spectacle.

‘We’re at the start of a new era,’ Prandelli said. ‘My idea is try and win via our performance.’

Italy hasn’t won any of its seven games in 2010 — drawing four and losing three.

‘We’ve got to squash these negative thoughts,’ Prandelli said Thursday. ‘The idea of not having won in a year could weigh down the squad.’

With Amauri and Mario Balotelli both injured, Prandelli is expected to rely on the talent of Antonio Cassano — a player that former coach Marcello Lippi excluded — and his strike partner at Sampdoria, Giampaolo Pazzini, in attack.

Midfielder Andrea Pirlo is back after missing most of the World Cup with a left calf injury and will wear the captain’s armband while goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon continues his recovery from back surgery.

Previous captain Fabio Cannavaro and midfielder Gennaro Gattuso retired from the national team after the World Cup and Prandelli has not called up fullback Gianluca Zambrotta.

‘We’ve got a new coach, new players and also a new mentality — which is playing well, because that’s how you win,’ Pirlo said. ‘Prandelli has always gotten his teams to play well and he’ll do the same thing with the national team. The World Cup was just the latest example that you’ve got to play the game, that the teams that focus on skill and quality win.’

Estonia opened Group C qualifying last month with a 2-1 win over the Faeroe Islands, getting two goals in second-half injury time.

Estonia is led by all-time leading scorer Andres Oper, AZ Alkmaar defender Ragnar Klavan and Middlesbrough newcomer Tarmo Kink.

The match will be played at Lillekula Arena in Tallinn. Prandelli will then get his home debut Tuesday at his old stadium in Florence against the Faeroe Islands.

Italy was beaten 1-0 by Ivory Coast in a friendly last month in Prandelli’s first match.

As for the rest of the lineup, Bologna’s 24-year-old goalkeeper Emiliano Viviano could get his first start in goal, Leonardo Bonucci has replaced Cannavaro in central defence alongside Giorgio Chiellini, and the new fullbacks are Mattia Cassano of Palermo and Cristian Molinaro of Stuttgart.

Pirlo will likely be flanked by Daniele De Rossi and Riccardo Montolivo in a 4-3-3 formation with Simone Pepe or Fabio Quagliarella alongside Pazzini and Cassano up front.

Alberto Gilardino is also an option in attack.

‘It’s not going to be a walk in the park against Estonia,’ Prandelli said. ‘They’re a decent squad and we’ve got to be attentive.’