Savage keen for Wales to intensify Italian pain

Mark Hughes is not an orator; it is the south Welsh, not those from Wrexham, who are famed for their use of language. And yet, yesterday, Hughes' words were compelling. If Wales could beat Italy in Cardiff tonight, it could transform the image of football in the Principality.

"It is a chance to affect Welsh football forwards for years to come," said the Wales manager, anticipating the Euro 2004 qualifier at a sold-out Millennium Stadium. "It couldinspire a new generation."

Despite a string of fine results in friendlies – a 1-0 win over Germany and draws against Argentina, the Czech Republic and Croatia – it was Wales starting their qualification campaign with a 2-0 win in Finland which has triggered a surge of self-belief.

"What held us back in the last World Cup qualifying campaign was that we could not convert domination into points," Hughes said. "There has been a different attitude since our result in Helsinki and expectations are higher than they were after the Germany game. We had beaten the World Cup finalists but there was the excuse that maybe they weren't trying. But with Finland there were points at stake."

The Wales captain, Gary Speed, admitted that his team did not play well against Finland and beating Italy, even a rattled Italy, has always been beyond Wales' reach in a competitive game. And, as Speed noted: "The Italians have heard all this hype before."

Nevertheless, the mood in the camp is better than it was for Italy's last trip to play Wales in 1998. The match was overshadowed by Robbie Savage's dismissal from Bobby Gould's squad for publicly throwing away a replica shirt bearing the name of Paolo Maldini.

Savage has outlasted Gould and has contrasted the change of management styles, saying that Hughes "treats us like adults. The atmosphere is like a club side", and predicted that this evening he will be playing his natural game: "working as hard as I can on getting the ball to someone who can play football".

He means Giggs, although the winger may find Christian Panucci, the one member of Trapattoni's back four to play well in Naples, an obstinate stumbling block. Nevertheless, Savage remained typically upbeat. "This is the best chance we will ever have against Italy. A few years ago they would come here and think: 'How many?' Now they know they are in for a difficult game."

Speed, who will win his 70th cap tonight, has more experience to draw upon. "This is the best team I've been in. We have always had great individuals but the emphasis now is on the team. The self-belief has been drummed into us," said the Newcastle midfielder, who tonight will probably start at left-back. "The players think we can win and the supporters think we can win and before that might not have been the case."

WALES: (probable, 4-4-2): Jones (Southampton); Delaney (Aston Villa), Melville (Fulham), Gabbidon (Cardiff), Speed (Newcastle); Davies (Tottenham), Pembridge (Everton), Savage (Birmingham), Giggs (Manchester United); Bellamy (Newcastle), Hartson (Celtic).

ITALY: (probable, 4-3-1-2): Buffon (Juventus); Panucci (Roma), Nesta (Lazio), Cannavaro (Parma), Zauri (Atalanta); Gattuso (Milan), Di Biaggio (Internazionale), Ambrosini; Pirlo (both Milan); Maccarone (Middlesbrough), Del Piero (Juventus).

Referee: G Veissiere (Fr).