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Buffon injury forces Prandelli into Plan B

Two days after his acrobatic skills saved Italy's blushes against unfancied Armenia, Buffon was seen going into a physiotherapist's clinic on Sunday to receive treatment on what a team official said was a left thigh injury.

Italy won 3-1 in Yerevan thanks to second-half goals from Daniele De Rossi and Pablo Osvaldo but could easily have lost to a spirited Armenia side had Buffon not saved them following some sloppy defensive errors.

If the Juventus keeper is sidelined for Tuesday's encounter at the San Siro, it could dent Italy's chances of maintaining their place at the top of Group B.

Prandelli, who has lined up Napoli's Morgan De Sanctis as Buffon's replacement, has other problems in defence, with Leonardo Bonucci the worst of a back-line which gave away far too many chances on Friday.

On Saturday, Prandelli said that Juventus centre-back Giorgio Chiellini would be selected to stand up to the physical Danish striker Nicklas Bendtner, who scored Denmark's equaliser against 10-man Bulgaria on Friday.

"We need a result in Italy, there is no doubt about that, and we can take some of the good things from the second half here in Bulgaria. I am also confident that we can get something from there," Ajax midfielder Christian Eriksen told TV6.