AS Roma captain Francesco Totti has called on the capital to get behind the Azzurri, as fears grow that the world champions will get a rough reception when they take on Ukraine here this weekend .
Some Roma fans have threatened to boo Italy, which will be without Totti for Saturday's European Championship qualifier. Totti is taking a break from the national team as he tries to regain top form with his club he was not at his best during Italy's World Cup-winning campaign after breaking his leg in February. He is still not 100% and has said he won't be available for international action until next year .
Some commentators questioned the striker-cum-playmaker's commitment to the national team following his decision to take this sabbatical. As a result, a number of Roma fans said they intend to show they are on Totti's side by shunning the Azzurri. He has told them not to do this .
"We will all cheer on Italy together because the warmth of all the Italian people is needed if we are going to qualify for the European Championships," Totti wrote in an article in sports daily Corriere dello Sport .
Totti also responded to his critics in the article .
"I made sacrifices to take part in the World Cup, playing in the condition I was in and risking my health," he wrote .
"This shows how attached I am to the national team" .
Totti, a born-and-bred Roman, is treated like royalty by Roma fans, many of whom put their devotion to the club and the player well ahead of any patriotic sentiments. The Roma fans were also upset when Italy coach Roberto Donadoni gave Totti's No. 10 shirt to temperamental striker Antonio Cassano - who left Roma for Real Madrid in January - for the qualifiers against Lithuania and France last month .
But this grievance has been removed, as Donadoni did not include Cassano in his squad for the Ukraine match. Another member of the World Cup-winning squad, right-back Massimo Oddo, called on the city to give the Azzurri rousing support too .
"It would be stupid to boo the national team," said Oddo, who plays for Roma's cross-town rivals Lazio. "I can understand that there may have been problems with a player, but it does not seem right to go against this team, which has done great things this year .
"We won the World Cup and we want to go to the European Championships. The Italian people must push this team forward. "The Azzurri should be the pride of everyone, Rome included" .
Donadoni expressed surprise that his men might not receive the warmest of welcomes .
"I don't understand why there would be a hostile atmosphere. The national team should never be booed," he said .
He also explained that Rome was originally chosen as the match's venue as a tribute to Totti .
"It's a shame he won't be there," added Donadoni, who unsuccessfully tried to persuade Totti out of taking his break from the Azzurri .
Italy is second-from-bottom of qualifying Group B with one point after drawing 1-1 with Lithuania in Naples and losing 3-1 to France in Paris. Full-back Fabio Grosso, who scored the winning penalty in the World Cup final against France in July, will miss Saturday's game because of a thigh-muscle injury .
He will also be unavailable for next Wednesday's game against Georgia in Tbilisi .
