World Cup champion Italy faces a must-win situation when it hosts Scotland Wednesday in Euro 2008 qualifying at Bari's San Nicola Stadium.

With the Azzurri fourth in Group B -- five points behind Scotland and France and two behind Ukraine -- the pressure is on beleaguered coach Roberto Donadini.

Donadoni lashed out at media critics, saying they were out to stir up trouble with reports of problems with his players and of his imminent departure.

"In these past few days there have been so many lies written and said that they would fill an entire encyclopedia," Donadoni was quoted as saying in La Gazzetta dello Sport. "Show some respect for us, because I don't like these games. I don't understand why people start holding trials before anything actually happens."

Serie A's leading scorer, Francesco Totti, is on leave from international soccer, so Donadoni is expected to line up Luca Toni as the lone striker up front and Mauro Camoranesi, Simone Perrotta and Antonio Di Natale behind him in midfield. Donadoni's other concern is in goal, where starter Gianluigi Buffon has been suffering from a stomach flu.

WEDNESDAY'S SCHEDULE:
GROUP A
Azerbaijan-Finland
Poland-Armenia (TV: PPV-Setanta, live, 2:25 pm ET)
Serbia-Portugal (TV: Setanta Sports USA, live, 3:10 pm ET)
GROUP B
Ukraine-Lithuania
Georgia-Faeroe Islands
Italy-Scotland (TV: RAI International, live, 2:25 pm ET)
GROUP C
Turkey-Norway (TV: Setanta Sports USA, live, 2 pm ET)
Malta-Greece (TV: PPV-Setanta, live, 1:25 pm ET)
Hungary-Moldova
GROUP D
Wales-San Marino
Ireland-Slovakia (TV: Setanta Sports USA, live, 2:25 pm)
Czech Republic-Cyprus (TV: Fox Soccer Channel, delay, 3 pm ET)
GROUP E
Andorra-England (TV: Setanta Sports USA, live, 2:55 pm)
Israel-Estonia (TV: Fox Soccer Channel, delay, 1 pm ET)
GROUP F
Northern Ireland v Sweden
Liechtenstein v Latvia
GROUP G
Slovenia v Netherlands
Romania v Luxembourg
Bulgaria v Albania