Italy's once-vaunted 'BBC' defense is showing its age
ROME (AP) - With a combined age of 99, Italy's once vaunted "BBC" defensive trio is showing its years.
The Azzurri will still rely on Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini in a World Cup playoff against Sweden next month but the signs in Serie A lately have not been encouraging.
Bonucci's red card with AC Milan over the weekend was the latest poor performance after his high-profile transfer from Juventus made him the highest-paid player in Italy.
Chiellini and Barzagli were beaten for goals twice by Ciro Immobile in Juventus' 2-1 home loss to Lazio less than 10 days ago, and Chiellini was again off form in the Bianconeri's 6-2 victory over Udinese on Sunday.
Chiellini was fooled by Stipe Perica for Udinese's first goal and then left Danilo unmarked to head in another as he appealed for an offside call that never came.
Bonucci is 30, Chiellini is 33, and Barzagli is 36.
While Italy coach Gian Piero Ventura has shown interest in developing new talent, he has shown no indication that he plans to cast aside BBC when it counts.
After all, Italy has historically been slow to incorporate younger players, especially defenders.
That means the likes of Daniele Rugani (who plays for Juventus), Alessio Romagnoli (Milan) or Mattia Caldara (Atalanta) - who are all in their 20s - may have to wait longer for their chances with the Azzurri.
But Ventura would do well to remember how Marcello Lippi kept Fabio Cannavaro and other veterans in the lineup at the 2010 World Cup only to acknowledge after the first-round exit that he made a mistake and was overly influenced by the older players' performance en route to the title four years earlier.
From Franco Baresi to Giuseppe Bergomi to Paolo Maldini, Alessandro Nesta, Cannavaro and the BBC, strong center backs have been a source of uninterrupted pride for the Azzurri for decades.
Gianluigi Buffon in goal has also provided a security blanket for nearly 20 years but he, too, is approaching the end of his career and will likely retire after this season - or after his record sixth World Cup if Italy qualifies.
Italy's hopes of avoiding the playoffs were dashed by a debilitating 3-0 loss in Spain last month that offered a first hint of defensive problems. The defeat ended Italy's 11-year unbeaten run in qualifiers for World Cups and European Championships.
The Azzurri attributed the loss to Spain on Sept. 2 to a lack of physical condition so early in the season.
Bonucci, it was figured, just needed some time to adapt to his new surroundings at Milan.
In July, Bonucci completed a surprise transfer from Juventus, where he clashed with coach Massimiliano Allegri last season and was memorably left in the tribune for a Champions League match at Porto.
The transfer fee topped 40 million euros (nearly $50 million) and Bonucci signed a five-year contract worth up to 10 million euros (nearly $12 million) per season. He was also made captain before he ever wore a Milan shirt.
When Milan started to falter a month ago, physical trainer Emanuele Marra was fired - reportedly in large part because Bonucci demanded better fitness preparation.
But Bonucci was out-ran by Mauro Icardi on Inter Milan's first goal when the striker scored a hat trick in a 3-2 derby win eight days ago. He was also to blame for the second, failing to mark Icardi in the area.
Things got even worse for Bonucci when he was sent off in the first half of Milan's 0-0 draw at home with Genoa on Sunday for elbowing a defender in the head as he jostled for position on a free kick.
Bonucci was given a two-match ban, which excludes him from facing Juventus next Sunday and could affect his form for the Nov. 10 and 13 World Cup playoffs.
"Leo is a champion," Buffon said. "He'll become decisive again. But it makes me feel calmer knowing that we won't have to face him on Saturday."
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Andrew Dampf on Twitter: www.twitter.com/asdampf