Zambrotta tips Cassano to score winner for Italy against France tonight

Favourite: Gianluca Zambrotta (far right) has given his support to Antonio Cassano (far left) to deliver the goods against France.

Cassano had played well on loan at Sampdoria from Real Madrid this season but was a surprise inclusion in Donadoni's Euro 2008 squad as a couple of unsavoury incidents involving the temperamental striker cast doubt on his professional career.

This year he was handed a lengthy ban after throwing his shirt at a referee following his sending-off in a league match.

Marcello Lippi dropped the 25-year-old for the World Cup and Donadoni left him out of most of the Euro 2008 qualifying campaign but he was included for his second consecutive European Championship.

"I know Cassano's value and what he can give," said Donadoni when naming Cassano in his squad.

"What has happened in the past is not that important, what happens next is."

The world champions will need all the inspiration they can get from Cassano as they must beat France in the final group game in Zurich in order to have any chance of progressing to the quarter-finals and Zambrotta knows it will not be an easy task.

"It has been a long time (1990) since we have beaten France (in open play)," said Zambrotta.

"We hope to do it, this is the right time to do so."

Donadoni's team still need to hope that Romania fail to beat Holland in Bern to keep their European dreams alive.

"The time has come for Italy to prove their worth," said Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon.

"But if Romania end up going through it will be because they have deserved it,
having held us and France to a draw and doing well in their last game."