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Italy national football team
European Championship | Qualifiers
Oct 10, 2014 at 7.45pm UK
 
Azerbaijan national football team

2-1

Chiellini (44', 82')
FT(HT: 1-0)
Chiellini (77' og.)

Graziano Pelle: 'Delay in international breakthrough is my fault'

Southampton striker Graziano Pelle insists that no one is to blame for his failure to secure a spot in the Italy squad earlier.

Southampton striker Graziano Pelle has claimed that he can only blame himself for failing to break into the Italy squad in the past.

An eye-catching run of form in the Netherlands with Feyenoord, followed by an impressive start to life in the Premier League with the Saints has seen Pelle included in Antonio Conte's most recent squad, but he refuses to be bitter about how long the call-up has taken.

"I am a positive guy," the 29-year-old told reporters. "It's rare that I put the blame on someone else for something that didn't go well.

"If so much time has passed since my last Italy call-up, it means it was entirely my fault. I am now completely mature, both physically and psychologically.

"I had to take the long way round, but I got here eventually. It's better late than never."

Italy continue their Euro 2016 qualifying campaign against Azerbaijan on Friday, before meeting Malta on Monday.

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Graziano Pelle of Southampton celebrates scoring their second goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Southampton and Queens Park Rangers at St Mary's Stadium on September 27, 2014
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Group A

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Germany Germany32107
Q Switzerland Switzerland31205
3 Hungary Hungary31023
4 Scotland flag Scotland30121

Group B

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Q Spain Spain33009
Q Italy Italy31114
3 Croatia Croatia30212
4 Albania national flag Albania30121

Group C

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Q England flag England31205
Q Denmark Denmark30303
Q Slovenia Slovenia30303
4 Serbia Serbia30212

Group D

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Q Austria Austria32016
Q France France31205
Q Netherlands Netherlands31114
4 Poland Poland30121

Group E

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Q Romania Romania31114
Q Belgium Belgium31114
Q Slovakia Slovakia31114
4 Ukraine Ukraine31114

Group F

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Q Portugal Portugal32016
Q Turkey Turkey32016
Q Georgia Georgia31114
4 Czech Republic Czech Republic30121


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