ROME, Apr 30 (SW) – Bad news for both Monaco’s Christian Vieri and Italy’s Marcello Lippi as Vieri’s knee injury will keep him out of World Cup action. AC Milan’s Pippo Inzaghi is said to be first on the replacement list.

Italy’s national coach Marcello Lippi is not having the calmest of springs in terms of the health of his attacking stars. First the broken ankle of Francesco Totti now the knee injury of Monaco’s Christian Vieri has caused the coach to re-think his selection.

AC Milan’s Filippo Inzaghi could be the one to be called up for the last striker position of Italy’s World Cup squad. The 4-3-1-2 tactic of Italy allows for two strikers to be in the first eleven, with Fiorentina’s Luca Toni and AC Milan’s Alberto Gilardino set to be the front-runners for the positions.

Unluckily for Christian Vieri his personal mission of being the third striker on the bench for Italy has failed due to a knee injury suffered on March 27th in a French league match between Monaco and Paris St. Germain.

Even more painful for Vieri since his transfer from AC Milan in January was motivated by his ambition to play regular first team football in order to have a chance of World Cup action.