"See you at final" Merkel tells Italy's Prodi

BERLIN, June 14 (Reuters) Italy's Prime Minister Romano Prodi told German Chancellor Angela Merkel today he hoped their teams would contest the World Cup final.

At a news conference at the end of Prodi's first visit to Berlin since winning an April general election, Merkel invited the Italian prime minister to attend the July 9 final in the German capital.

''I hope you come back soon, maybe for the World Cup final to which I invite you,'' she said. Prodi replied: ''It will be Italy-Germany.'' Both teams got off to a good start in their opening games.

Germany beat Costa Rica 4-2 in Group A and Italy beat Ghana 2-0 in Group E.

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