As for Francesco Totti, he appears not to have even noticed the squad have transferred from Sendai.
"It's all the same," he explained. "We're always inside the hotel, or we are training.
"We never get out, so we never see anything. We're here in 'retreat', so that's how it is."
Rumours of him having a training ground confrontation with captain Paolo Maldini were cold-watered.
However, he was distinctly non-plussed when a visiting Australian film crew asked him for his thoughts on "il capitano" breaking the national record for World Cup apearances.
Back at the press base, where the 60-strong media pack have to suffer saunas, open-air natural hot springs, and an underground disco, the antics of the tiny but dedicated British contingent are gradually endearing themselves to the Italian media.
Last week it was a rendition of "Return to Sendai" mocking the chances of "gli azzurri" making it back to Japan for the final.