"I have chosen 88 because it reminds me of four balls and in Italy we all know what it means to have balls: strength and determination," he said. "And this season I will have to have balls to get back my place in the Italy team." The plot, though, thickens. "At first I didn't choose 88," he explained. "I wanted 00 but the league told me that was impossible. I also considered 01 but that was not considered a proper number. I liked 01 because it was the number on the General Lee car in the TV series the Dukes of Hazzard."