Gattuso breaks Italian silence

LISBON, June 8 (Reuters) - Italy midfielder Gennaro Gattuso has vented his frustration at being left on the fringes of the Azzurri team, shattering the peace that had surrounded Giovanni Trapattoni's squad.

Gattuso is not expected to start his team's opening Group C game against Denmark on Monday, with Trapattoni preferring Cristiano Zanetti and Simone Perrotta.

'I hope that the possibility of playing from the start will be given to me as well,' Gattuso told reporters on Tuesday at Italy's training camp.

'I've been part of the squad for five years yet it still seems like it is my first year. I've made 31 appearances which makes me the 10th (most capped player) in the squad,' he added.

'The coach makes his choices and he is paid to do that but I am coming into this tournament after two great seasons and I have improved a lot technically,' added Gattuso.

Gattuso's battling performances were vital to AC Milan's Italian title victory last season and as well as pressing his own case he urged Trapattoni to give a chance to his club team mate Andrea Pirlo.

'I find it absurd that we won't see him on the field because at an international level he is one of the best in the world from a tactical and technical point of view,' said Gattuso of his fellow midfielder.

Pirlo operates in a deep role in front of the defence for Milan where he is charged with starting the passing moves that have characterised the past two successful seasons for Carlo Ancelotti's side.

But Trapattoni has said Italy's more offensive tactical approach rules out such a role for Pirlo.

'To say that the national side can't play like Milan because we don't have players like Kaka or (Andriy) Shevchenko, I find banal, I don't believe that anyone who knows football well could say such a thing,' he said.

Trapattoni looks certain to play with Francesco Totti, Alessandro Del Piero and Stefano Fiore or Mauro Camoranesi in front of Perrotta and Zanetti with Christian Vieri leading the line.

Italy, European Championship winners in 1968 and runners-up four years ago, also face Sweden and Bulgaria in Group C.