Hodgson looks to find and exploit Italy's weaknesses

As the World Cup get ever-closer, England's opening day opponents, Italy, are moving swiftly into Roy Hodgson's focus. 

Following their last two warm-up games in Florida, the Three Lions arrived in Rio to begin their Finals experience before they fly on to Manaus for Saturday's big match. 

The Italians are the last team England faced at a Finals tournament, losing out on a penalty shootout in the quarter-finals of Euro 2012. 

And the manager says he has the confidence in his players that this time they can exploit their opponents weaknesses. 

"Italy have stayed together very well, so they have two more years experience of qualifying," said Hodgson. 

"There aren’t so many new players to emerge – we are discussing in our pre-match videos the same sort of players we played against previously. 

"If you are talking high-level football and you analyze to the nth degree, then I don’t think there are any teams in this competition that don’t have weaknesses. 

"But the problem is finding them and exploiting them. That is always the trick." 

He continued: "I have got every confidence in this group of players. I am determined that we will go into the games as well-organised as we can possibly be. 

"I think they will be ready because the three weeks of preparation is encouraging me to believe that they are ready. And certainly from what I know of the players and their character, I have no reason to doubt them." 

On Saturday, Hodgson will come up against the very familiar face of Andrea Pirlo, who was behind Italy's quarter-final success over England two years. 

The Italian skipper, who netted a cheeky chipped penalty in the shootout, played under Hodgson during the Englishman's second spell in charge of Internazionale. 

And, though he was vying for the play-maker role with a host of star names in Milan, Hodgson was always impressed with the midfielder. 

Pirlo was inspirational against England at Euro 2012

"He was great. I felt a bit sorry for him though because he hadn’t played much when I came because the team was full of number tens. And that is what he was at the time – a real number ten," recalled Hodgson. 

"Along with Baggio, there was Djorkaeff, there was a player called Ze Elias and there were a couple of others that you won’t remember, so he didn’t play that much. 

"But I thought he was very good in training and the stroke of genius with regards to his own career, apart from his own wonderful talent, was Carlo Ancelotti, when he left Inter to go to Milan. He transformed him into a deep-lying midfield player instead of a second forward." 

The man behind Italy's run to the Euro 2012 Final, where they were eventually beaten by Spain, was Cesare Prandelli. The former Atalanta midfielder turned to management in 1997 and eventually took over the Azzurri reins four years ago. 

Hodgson's England last met Prandelli's Italy in 2012

"Before I even knew Prandelli, [former Inter president] Giacinto Fachetti once told me he thought he was a good coach. Someone that I respect as much as Fachetti picked him out amongst the Italians and said 'this is a good Italian coach'. 

"I think everything he has done with Italy and Fiorentina has really proved that. I certainly respect him and certainly think he deserves a lot of credit for the way he has Italy playing and the way he has used his resources." 

Hodgson continued: "He had a good Confederations Cup [Italy came third], which I think probably gave him some good experience of playing out here. 

"He has had a good qualifying tournament and I think that Italy will be going into the tournament fairly confident that they can go far. 

"And we will have to try and make certain that we stop them early doors - but they are a good team."