Marcello Lippi plans to tell Daniele De Rossi to mend his ways after the midfielder was sent off for an elbow during Saturday's 1-1 draw with the United States, the Italian coach said on Sunday.
De Rossi was dismissed for blatant elbow on US striker Brian McBride in the 28th minute in Kaiserslautern with the score at 1-1. The Americans ended a stormy game with only nine men after they later had Pablo Mastroeni and Eddie Pope sent off.
- Images: Italy vs USA
"I haven't talked with De Rossi yet. He needs to be left to stew on things a little more. He needs to think over things for a bit -- about last night but not only about last night," Lippi told a news conference.
"I will have a talk with him but I'm not going to discuss my views here with you now. There is no doubt that he is a lad who is considered to be a fantastic kid and an excellent player but he has to change his ways or he is going to carry this [reputation] with him for a long time," added the Italy coach.
De Rossi was also booked in the tenth minute of Italy's opening game against Ghana and could face a heavy suspension after leaving a bleeding McBride needing three stitches.
Lippi said the Roma midfielder's dismissal was the moment victory began to slip away from his side who had taken the lead through Alberto Gilardino before a Cristian Zaccardo own goal allowed the Americans to draw level.
"I think going down to 10 men changed the course of the game for us. It wasn't the own goal from Zaccardo but the fact that we had to reorganise ourselves after the red card. It was not our day," said the Italy coach.
Italy go into their final game for group E against the Czech Republic on Thursday leading the group with four points -- one more than Ghana and the Czechs and three ahead of the US.
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