EVER-MODEST Fabrizio Ravanelli believes that Italy's strike force will be every bit as good as Brazil's at France 98. The reigning world champions have arguably the most feared centre-forward partnership on the planet in Ronaldo and Romario, but Ravanelli rates the likes of himself - naturally - and Alessandro Del Piero on a par with both those two.
The former Middlesbrough striker said: "There's no country in the world with as many people to choose from up front as we have. If you asked ten different people which striker Italy should take to the World Cup you'd have ten different answers. Ronaldo and his teammates are extraordinary, but if Ronaldo played for Juventus he might not be as good as Del Piero, who takes part more in the game as a whole. I think we can say that we're on a level with the Brazilians."
Ravanelli isn't likely to get a first-team place after struggling this season with French club Marseille. Del Piero, who is trying to shake off a thigh strain suffered in the Champions League Final last week, and Christian Vieri are the first choices, with Filippo Inzaghi and Ravanelli next in line. If Del Piero fails a fitness test on the injury, Parma striker Enrico Chiesa will get the call.
But coach Cesare Maldini has shown his faith in the Juventus genius, by giving him the number ten shirt for the competition. He said: This decision is also a goodwill wish, because we are all hoping that Del Piero will wear this shirt. If he doesn't make it, it will go to Chiesa instead. Losing Del Piero would be a major loss, and not just for Italy. The world is waiting for the skills of Del Piero, and Ronaldo."

DANISH STAR EYES MOVE TO AC MILAN DANISH international Thomas Helveg wants to follow his coach Alberto Zaccheroni from Udinese to AC Milan, he revealed yesterday. The versatile Helveg, who can play right-back or right-midfield, has starred under Zaccheroni at Udinese for the last two years, but now wants to follow his mentor to the fallen Italian giants. Zaccheroni was named yesterday as Milan's coach for the next two seasons, after they released previous boss Fabio Capello from his post because he failed to get them into Europe despite spending millions. Officially, however, Capello wasn't sacked and will still be an employee of the club. The club's new boss has already made it clear he wants to bring in players he knows well. He was instrumental in the signing of last season's top striker Oliver Bierhoff for £8m and Helveg, who will play for Denmark against France, Saudi Arabia and South Africa next month, is set to follow suit. Zaccheroni was Udinese's most successful manager of all time, taking them into the last 16 of the UEFA Cup last season and leading them to third place in Serie A, their highest ever finish.

DOUBLE BLOW FOR ROMANIA ENGLAND got some welcome news yesterday when group rivals Romania admitted they could go into the World Cup without two important players. Atletico Madrid defender Daniel Prodan, a veteran of their USA 94 challenge, is extremely doubtful after surgery on his left knee while team medical staff say midfielder Denis Serban won't recover from an ankle injury in time. I'm concerned over my team's central defence and the worst thing is that the alternatives are not the best, said coach Anghel Iordanescu. "If Prodan is not in perfect health, I will have to decide on a substitute from three other players, two of whom are in the domestic championship." THEY might not get to face Brazil in this World Cup, but England will face at least one Brazilian after group rivals Tunisia rushed through the naturalisation process to allow midfielder Jose Clayton, who comes from Recife in north-east Brazil, to play this summer. Clayton transferred to Tunisia's top club Etoile Sahel from Standard Liege of Belgium in 1995 and has been given Tunisian nationality after three years' residency instead of the usual five.

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