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Italy's national team defender Alessandro Nesta will not be able to appear in the final World Cup matches taking place on Sunday due to injury, in which the Italians will seek to become world champions.
"Unfortunately, from a clinical and physical point of view, it will be impossible for him to be among the team," said Italy's national team doctor Enrico Castellacci on Thursday.
Nesta has not played since the last group match against the Czech team, where he suffered a groin injury, forcing the footballer to sit on the bench during the eighth-final match against Australia, the quarter-final match against Ukraine, and the semi-final match against Germany.
Marco Materazzi, who replaced A. Nesta in the starting lineup in the match against Germany, hopes to form a partnership with team captain Fabio Cannavaro in the central defense in the final matches.
Due to injury, the Milan team's defender has suffered in all three World Cups he has participated in: four years ago he missed the second round match against South Korea, which ended tragically for the Italians, and in 1998 he suffered a serious injury in the second group stage match and had to leave France.
