ROME — Italy is nowhere near ready to take on France.
The World Cup champions are reeling after a 3-1 loss to Hungary in a friendly Wednesday and have little more than two weeks before resuming the rivalry with Les Bleus on Sept. 8 in a European Championship qualifier.
"We've got to find a way, because it's a really important game," goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon said. "We can't look for alibis."
Defender Marco Materazzi injured his thigh in the Hungary game and is expected to miss the match against France, as well as a visit to Ukraine four days later.
Captain Fabio Cannavaro was far off form against Hungary, drawing a penalty kick for the opponents' second goal and failing to make a tackle to allow the third.
With Alessandro Nesta having recently retired from international play, Andrea Barzagli is the only qualified backup in central defence.
Midfielder Gennaro Gattuso sat out Wednesday's game with a left knee injury, the extent of which is unclear.
The biggest problem for Italy, though, was its physical form. After dominating the opening 25 minutes, the Azzurri slowed and allowed Hungary to take control.
"We'll improve. We've got 15 days to do it. It's not much but it's what we have," Italy coach Roberto Donadoni said.
Donadoni had campaigned to begin the Serie A season on Aug. 19 but had to settle for the league's decision to begin this weekend instead.
"I would have started a month before," Donadoni said.
Many of France's players will already have a handful of French league matches in their legs when they visit San Siro.
France leads Group B with 18 points, two more than Italy.
Cannavaro, who plays for Real Madrid in Spain, also lamented the late start for the Italian league.
"We players are never taken into consideration," he said before explaining his poor performance. "I'm not an extraterrestrial. It happens when you're in this type of condition and the concentration is on the level of a friendly.
"The Italian fans are worried? Tell them that we know how to prepare ourselves well in these 15 days and it will be another story with France," Cannavaro added.
Italy has lost four of its last six games in August.
"Obviously that says something," Donadoni said.
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