BARI GETS NOD FOR ITALY TEST; FEDERAZIONE ITALIANA GIUOLCO CALCIO WORLD CUP GAME VENUE DECIDED Hosts plump for preferred option.

Byline: BY PAUL O'HEHIR

BARI is set to host Ireland's crucial World Cup qualifier against Italy on April 1.

The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) had been mulling over a number of venues in various cities but have finally settled on their preferred choice.

And officials have already held informal discussions with the FAI in recent days.

Confirmation is now expected to be faxed to Fifa before the January 5 deadline.

An FAI spokesman last night said: "Yes, we have had informal talks with our Italian counterparts about playing in Bari."

Rome, Milan, Genoa, Florence and Naples had all been touted as possible venues with the latter the most recent front-runner.

But FIGC delegates, led by president and Bari man Antonio Mataresse, ruled out the 60,000 capacity Stadio San Paolo after a recent visit.

The Italians have not played an international in Naples for two years but were keen to lure Ireland to the city.

Italian boss Marcello Lippi knows Ireland are his most dangerous Group 8 rivals and wanted to do everything to unsettle them.

The heat in Naples at that time of year would have played into Italian hands while fans there would have created an intimidating atmosphere.

So Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni will be a relieved man not to have to travel to such a hostile venue.

But Bari will also be hot as it lies on the south-east coast of Italy and is one of the more modern industrial cities in the country.

The Stadio San Nicola will host the crucial qualifier and is the home ground of Italian Serie B side AS Bari. It has a capacity of 58,248.

It was built in 1990 for the World Cup in Italy and staged four games then.

Italy last played an international there in March 2007, beating Scotland 2-0 in a Euro 2008 qualifier.

When the World Cup draw was made, it was initially expected Ireland would tackle Italy at the Olympic Stadium in Rome.

And many enterprising Irish fans went and booked flights and accommodation in the hope they would be proved right.

The same applied to Naples which until last night was the leading contender.

But Bari is just a two-hour drive from Naples with the distance 140 miles. Rome is 244 miles away.

CAPTION(S):

CRUCIAL QUALIFIER Ireland will play in Bari's Stadio San Nicola; RELIEVED Trapattoni