Italians loving 'la dolce vita'

UEFA.com's Richard Aikman visits Italy's Casa Azzurri base in Austria...

"Ciao, Franco, un caffe, per favore," shouts the Tuttosport journalist across the crowded bar, which is already three deep with caffeine-starved, wildly gesticulating Italians attempting to make themselves heard above the cacophony of the espresso machine and themselves.

To the left a blue-hued, over-sized photograph of Luca Toni looks down from the wall across the coffee tables and stools where punters are poring over the pink pages of La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Next to the official Italy merchandise shop stands a display case, containing a mannequin sporting the 1968 UEFA European Championship kit and a large sepia print of the side which won the tournament that year in Rome.

Meanwhile, two attractive women in matching blue tops walk past carrying a tray of chocolate cakes for anyone quick enough to help themselves. Welcome to Casa Azzurri, Italy's press and media centre for UEFA Euro 2008.

And that is just the entrance hall. Over to the right lies the door leading to a restaurant which gets through 300 covers a sitting and straight ahead looms the main lounge, an enormous area resplendent in Itay's famous blue and white.

It is furnished with tastefully arranged designer sofas, alcoves where people can watch the television or play computer games and table football, plus further areas served by more pretty ladies offering yet more free food and drink from myriad Italian sponsors. At the far end, a massive screen is showing famous goals of yore on loop from the likes of Paolo Rossi, Roberto Baggio and Fabio Grosso.

It all makes the hours spent in the sweaty press conference rooms upstairs and the heated conversations from deadline-demanding editors slightly more palatable.

"This is the tenth anniversary of Casa Azzurri," explains Livia D'Agata, who is responsible for organising this huge operation.

"It started as a small welcoming centre on the Champs Elysees for Italian VIPs living in France. At Eueo 2000 we were in Antwerp, and since then, every two years, we have been to major tournaments. And each year, Casa Azzurri has grown bigger and bigger."

The operation in tiny Oberwaltersdorf, Austria, near the national team's hotel in Baden bei Wien, is staffed by 96 Italian nationals, including 21 hostesses, who must "all speak two languages, be polite and helpful and, of course, beautiful".

Their role is to provide the mainly Italian press with a home from home and other visitors, with a taste of 'la dolce vita'.

"The main purpose of Casa Azzurri is to communicate the made in Italy ethos," continues D'Agata. "We are here firstly for journalists but we also cater for tourists, fans and the Italian community abroad. And we look to promote our sponsors.

"There is many a cliche about Italy, but some of them we don't mind. A typical Italian home or Casa Azzurri should be colourful, well-designed, and fully stocked with good food and drink – all of which is free. There should be a good atmosphere; laughter and joking, music and, of course, beautiful women. Some stereotypes are worth holding on to."

Whether Casa Azzurri can top the 40,000 visitors that descended upon them in Germany two years ago remains to be seen but unlike many of the journalists here, D'Agata cannot afford to stand still. The 2010 FIFA World Cup operation has been under way since September, even though the Azzurri are not yet assured of their place in South Africa.

"If they don't qualify it will all have been a waste of time," she admitted.

Source: UEFA