Calabria

The new production by Olivier Landreville placed both operas in the mid-20th century, with a backdrop of Florence making do even for the Calabrians of Pagliacci.

Spaghetti with anchovies and bread crumbs, prepared on Christmas Eve throughout Calabria, recalls more difficult times, when anchovies were one of the few fish all Calabrians could afford.

Since winning promotion in 2002, the Calabrians have never finished more than ten points above the bottom three clubs.

But Lippi is set to gamble on an attacking formation against the Calabrians tomorrow, which would see Italian international winger Gianluca Zambrotta playing in a marauding right-back role.

And Toni will fancy his chances of ending his goalscor-ing drought against Reggi-na's dodgy defence - only Roma have conceded as many goals as the Calabrians on native soil.

On opening night, Canadian tenor John Mac Master played Canio with such vocal dynamism and theatrical verisimilitude that we felt integrated with the Calabrians watching him in the square.

The Calabrians have five players ruled out and others carrying niggles.