Vryzas signs deal with Torino

Greece striker joins third successive Italian club as part of its bid to return to top league

Zysis Vryzas (l) in action against Denmark in a recent World Cup qualifier. The hard-working striker signed a one-year deal with Torino.

Greece striker Zysis Vryzas has signed a one-year deal with Italian second-division club Torino, the club announced yesterday.

The 32-year-old player’s move, which had been anticipated, makes Torino his third Italian club in succession, following tenures with Perugia and Fiorentina.

Prior to yesterday’s news, Italian media had reported that Torino was willing to offer Vryzas a six-month contract. The Greek player’s acquisition by the club, winner of eight major titles in its history, comes as part of its bid to return to the Serie A.

Greek clubs AEK and PAOK had expressed interest in signing the player, a hard-working striker and one of coach Otto Rehhagel’s leading choices for the national team, including during Euro 2004.

Meanwhile the national team, as defending champion of the European title, was yesterday categorized as one of the seven top-tier national teams ahead of the draw, later this month, for Euro 2008’s seven qualifying groups.

Subsequently, this means that Greece — keen to make it to the Euro 2008 finals following the European champion’s failure to qualify for this summer’s World Cup finals in Germany — will avoid being drawn against six other top-tier teams, which, theoretically, rank as Europe’s most formidable.

The other six top-tier teams include France, the Czech Republic and Portugal, all of which lost to Greece in knockout competition at Euro 2004 along its way to the title, as well as England, the Netherlands and Sweden.

The draw for Euro 2008 qualifying competition will be held on January 27 in Switzerland. The finals will be co-hosted by Austria and Switzerland.

Second-tier teams, one of which Greece will inevitably face in its group, include traditional soccer powerhouses such as Germany, Italy and Spain.

The third tier includes Ukraine, which captured top spot in its World Cup qualifying group to deprive Greece of a finals berth. Rehhagel had hoped to lead his team to international soccer’s biggest event in his native Germany.

He could have been there regardless of Greece’s efforts. Shortly after the national team’s Euro 2004 triumph in Portugal, Rehhagel turned down an offer to coach Germany at the upcoming World Cup finals. As host nation, Germany qualified automatically.

Rehhagel recently agreed to extend his contract with the Greek national team for a further two years with the objective of taking his squad to the Euro 2008 finals as the defending champion.