Italy find home from home at German base

DUISBURG, Germany, June 7 (Reuters) Italy arrived at their base in Germany today and did not have to look far to find the tastes and sounds of home.

An estimated 250,000 people of Italian origin live in Westfalia, many having moved to the region from southern Italy during the 1950s and 60s.

''I hope we will see a few of the players around in town, it would be nice, but in any case a lot of the Italians from round here will be going to the games,'' said Salvatore Spataro, the Sicilian-born owner of an electrical goods store in central Duisburg.

Not surprisingly, the hotel where the Azzurri have made their base is half-owned by Italian immigrants and the team's training centre has an Italian restaurant.

Although there are a huge amount of pizza and pasta outlets in the region, the Italian Football Federation always make sure the players, staff and media are within easy reach of familiar food and drink by setting up a home from home known as 'Casa Azzurri'.

Mostly backed by sponsors, this year's centre is inside the stadium of MSV Duisburg and visitors will be able to help themselves to Italian hams, salamis, pasta and coffee.

In the car park, Giuseppe Patti, who left Sicily for Germany five years ago, was offering up cones of homemade 'stracciatella' and other flavours.

But rather than be excited about an impending boom in sales, the Inter Milan supporter said he expected to lose his regular pitching spot when the World Cup begins.

''I'll probably have to move from here on Thursday, they are closing the access to the car park and I expect I will be moved on,'' he said.

Italy start their campaign against Ghana in Hanover on Monday.

Their other Group E opponents are U.S. and Czech Republic.

REUTERS PM RAI2334