Di Biaggio - keen to avoid penalties. (Allsport)
DI BIAGIO KEEN NOT TO PAY PENALTY
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Inter Milan midfielder Luigi Di Biagio is desperate to avoid the dreaded penalty shoot-out at this summer's World Cup.
Di Biagio has endured mixed fortunes in the last two major international tournaments, playing the role of both hero and villain.
At the last World Cup in France four years ago, the former Roma man missed from the spot as the Azzurri went out to the host nation at the quarter-final stage.
Two years later at the European Championships he was a hero, converting in the semi-final shoot-out win against Holland at the Amsterdam ArenA.
However, after getting to the final, Di Biagio and his Italian team-mates were again stymied by France after going agonisingly close.
Speaking on his club's official website, www.inter.it, he said: "The penalty miss against the French in the World Cup 1998 was terrible.
"I don't want to live the experience of the penalty kick again, even if I scored in Euro 2000."
After going so close in 1998 and 2000 Di Biagio shares the supporters' belief that they have the players to lift the title this year in Japan and Korea.
"My feeling is the same as all Italian fans, to stay in Asia as long is possible. We can win if we play always with determination and intelligence."
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