Rome: Newly-appointed Italy coach Roberto Donadoni said on Tuesday that he relished the pressure of taking over the world champions.

The 42-year-old former AC Milan and Italy midfielder was named coach last Thursday following Marcello Lippi’s decision to stand down just days after leading the Azzurri to victory over France in the World Cup final in Berlin.

“The responsibility on me will be even greater with the World Cup behind us, but it’s better to start with a trophy in the cabinet than nothing at all,” Donadoni said.

Donadoni has taken charge of the Azzurri in an uncertain period for Italian football, still reeling from the sentences handed out to four top clubs in the Serie A match-fixing scandal.

“I just hope the verdicts (from the appeals process) arrive quickly so that we can all get on with looking forward,” Donadoni said.