It's been a rough week or so for Italian football fans and with only a grudge match against old foes France between them and immediate early exit from Euro 2008 there can be little to ease the minds of Roberto Donadoni and co. and their crazy army of followers.

Last week's spanking by a Holland side devastating on the counter attack may never have happened if Ruud Van Nistelrooy's first goal had been disallowed. The frantic cover up "explanations" from UEFA that the poleaxed Christian Panucci lying injured off the pitch was playing Van Nistelrooy onside are ridiculous in the extreme, a convenient bluff to evade the prospect of a major storm of controversy from the passionate World champions.

That said, Holland did do a number on the Italians in their own right but the feeling of injustice from that game can only have been multiplied infinitely when the Italians had a perfectly good Luca Toni goal ruled out for offside in their draw against Romania. Luck is a fickle mistress in football and Italy certainly seem to broken some mirrors or had a whole litter of black cats walk across their path in the build up to Euro 2008.

Losing Fabio Cannavaro was a major blow but, with Gigi Buffon's penalty save from Adrian Mutu late in the Romania game, maybe their luck is beginning to change a little. Italy always seem to play better under intense pressure as best illustrated in their World Cup wins in 1982 and 2006 on the back of match fixing scandals and if the current squad feel they are getting a rough time from UEFA's officials then maybe we'll see a new look Italy in their final group game. Having backed them to win and Luca Toni to be top scorer pre-tournament, I'm sincerely hoping they get themselves together.