Summary Federations set up Wednesday's encounter in Rome that will be dedicated to pope.
LONDON (AP) - Twelve years after Italy s last match against Argentina, the two predominantly Roman Catholic and football-crazy nations are renewing their storied rivalry in a friendly game placed under the auspices of Pope Francis.
After months of talks, the Italian and Argentinian federations managed to set up Wednesday s encounter in Rome that will be dedicated to the pope, who is a football fan and comes from Argentina.
Italy s last match with Argentina was also a friendly in Rome, in 2001, which Argentina won 2-1. Before that, Diego Maradona s Argentina knocked host Italy out of the 1990 World Cup on penalties in a memorable semifinal in Naples.
