World Cup hero Marcello Lippi is looking to kick off his second term as Italy manager with a win this time.
Fielding questions ahead of Wednesday's friendly against Austria in Nice, the Germany 2006 winner smiled at suggestions he might want a ''lucky defeat'' like the shock 2-0 loss in Iceland that opened his international account four years ago.
''No, this time I'd like to start with a win, not a knock-out,'' Lippi told reporters who reminded him that 1982 World Cup winner Enzo Bearzot also started his career on the Italy bench with a defeat.
''In my first experience with the Azzurri I followed Bearzot's tradition but now I'd really like a win so as not to break the World Cup chain,'' said Lippi, 60, who came back in for Roberto Donadoni after Italy's disappointing Euro 2008.
Lippi said he would leave the framework of his old World Cup squad virtually intact and only gradually bring in new players going into the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
''I wouldn't dream of ditching the 2006 squad. It has a collection of technical and moral qualities that can still give a lot.
''I'll work towards the 2010 World Cup very calmly, gradually introducing four or five young players''.
As well as two new squad members, Liverpool left-back Andrea Dossena and Sampdoria midfielder Angelo Palombo, other youngsters tipped to get a chance are New Jersey-born Villarreal striker Giuseppe Rossi, Fiorentina midfielder Riccardo Montolivo, Palermo midfielder Antonio Nocerino and Napoli right-back Christian Maggio.
But for now Lippi is sticking to the men who did him proud in Berlin, including Juve icon Alessandro Del Piero whose call-up ended speculation he was on the verge of announcing his international retirement.
He has also recalled Alberto Gilardino, the ex-AC Milan striker who was left out of Donadoni's Euro 2008 squad but who appears to be finding his old touch under his former Parma boss Cesare Prandelli at new club Fiorentina.
Gilardino comes in for the injured Luca Toni, who looked out of sorts at Euro 2008, and will be hoping to stake a claim for a starting spot in Italy's first two World Cup qualifiers away to Cyprus on September 6 and at home to Georgia four days later.
Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini was one of the few bright spots at Euro 2008, where Italy went out to eventual winners Spain on penalties in the quarter-final.
But Chiellini picked up a bad knock in a friendly against AC Milan on Sunday and could be out for 2-3 months, doctors say.
He has been replaced by his Juve partner Nicola Legrottaglie, who gets a chance to feature in Italy's other qualifiers against Ireland, Bulgaria and Montenegro.
Austria's new coach, ex-Czech Republic boss Karel Brueckner, has a mixed record against Italy, winning a friendly in 2002 in Prague, drawing another friendly in Palermo in 2004 and going down to a 2-0 loss against Lippi's men in the 2006 World Cup first round.
He too has made only a few changes to his squad, saying he had ''no time for revolution'' ahead of Austria's first World Cup qualifier at home to France on September 6.
Brueckner, 69, replaced Josef Hickersberger after Austria went out of Euro 2008 in the group stage along with co-host Switzerland.
