Italy's Cassano calms down away from media glare

By Mark Meadows

VIENNA (Reuters) - Italy's temperamental forward Antonio Cassano may finally be growing up.

The 25-year-old, likely to start against Spain in Sunday's Euro 2008 quarter-final, has had a reputation as a troublemaker and prankster throughout his career.

The Sampdoria player was a surprise pick in Roberto Donadoni's squad for the finals, having only just come back from a five-game ban for throwing his shirt towards a referee in a league game.

Earlier in the season he burst into tears and beat the ground like a toddler pulling a tantrum after picking up a booking which ruled him out of a game with former club AS Roma.

Donadoni decided after much deliberation his superb dribbling ability outweighed his discipline problems and so far Cassano has kept out of trouble in Austria and Switzerland.

"He has behaved admirably with us and the coach," goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon told reporters recently.

However, the world champions have opted against putting the colourful character up for interview, aware he is liable to say absolutely anything.

In training he has been calm apart from one incident early on when Donadoni ordered him to be quiet when he started arguing with defender Giorgio Chiellini.

Cassano did well when he started the 2-0 win over France in the last group game and managed to contain himself to just one rant against the referee.

The Spanish know him well from his time at Real Madrid and there is the chance they will try to wind up him to provoke a reaction.

The Azzurri hope Cassano is past that stage.

"It's good he is smiling rather than being in another mood," midfielder Gennaro Gattuso said.

(Editing by Tony Jimenez)