What a five days. From making his Serie A debut with Fiorentina against Genoa on 1 September, to featuring for the Under-21s for the first time on 6 September in a 4-0 friendly victory over Moldova in Catania, Luca Ranieri will never forget those first five days of September 2019. He has earned the respect of Montella and Nicolato as well as that of teammate Gaetano Castrovilli who had plenty of praise for him: “Sottil and Ranieri are two excellent players for the Under-21s: I hope that they’ll also get a call-up to the senior team soon.”

These compliments have not distracted Ranieri however, who remains focused on the goal of reaching the U21 European Championship. He gave his thoughts on the upcoming match in Ferrara where the U21’s with take on their contemporaries from Iceland: “We’ve got another difficult match ahead of us, we don’t know these teams very well and we’re trying to prepare as best as we can. We’re training well in a very calm environment so I’m sure that we’ll get all three points.”

First Iceland then Armenia on 19 November, again in Catania. 180 minutes which the Azzurrini can use to extend their lead in the group. “Being together for a week, being in contact every day increases our confidence and we’ve got to know each other much more. The National Team is very important to me; I don’t want to miss any out on any opportunities. I’ve represented Italy ever since I first played for the U17s. I was then a part of the U20 team that competed at the World Cup in Poland. We’ve all been promoted from that team to the U21s, so now I’m here I just hope that I can play again.”

Some goals are more immediate, some are more long-term. Ranieri confessed: “The senior National Team remains one of my life goals. It’s every kid’s dream. I keep training every day in the hope that one day I’ll be able to fulfil this dream.”

The Azzurrini had a double training session at the Municipal Stadium of Abano Terme toda. Cagliari defender Luca Pellegrini took a slight knock to his right ankle during yesterday’s training session and Coach Nicolato called up Alessandro Tripadelli as a precautionary measure.

Squad List

Goalkeepers: Marco Carnesecchi (Trapani), Mattia Del Favero (Piacenza), Alessandro Plizzari (Livorno);

Defenders: Claud Adjapong (Hellas Verona), **Nicolò Casale (Venezia), Davide Bettella (Pescara), Enrico Delprato (Livorno), Matteo Gabbia (Milan), Luca Pellegrini (Cagliari), Luca Ranieri (Fiorentina), Marco Sala (Virtus Entella), Alessandro Tripaldelli (Sassuolo);

Midfielders: Marco Carraro (Perugia), Davide Frattesi (Empoli), Manuel Locatelli (Sassuolo), Giulio Maggiore (Spezia), Fabio Maistro (Salernitana), *Salvatore Esposito (Chievo Verona), Niccolò Zanellato (Crotone);

Forwards: Patrick Cutrone (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Moise Bioty Kean (Everton), Andrea Pinamonti (Genoa), Gianluca Scamacca (Ascoli), Riccardo Sottil (Fiorentina).

Staff – Delegation head: Massimo Paganin; Coach: Paolo Nicolato; Accompanying director: Vincenzo Marinelli; Secretary Manfredi Martino; Assistant Coach: Mirco Gasparetto; Fitness Coach: Vincenzo Pincolini; Goalkeeping Coach: Gian Matteo Mareggini; Match analyst: Francesco Bordin; Doctors: Angelo De Carli and Vincenzo Santoriello; Physiotherapists: Emiliano Bozzetti and Nicola Sanna; Hosteopath: Cristiano Pompili; Physician: Cristian Osgnach.

*replaces Sandro Tonali (Brescia)

**replaces Alessandro Bastoni (Inter)

Schedule

Tuesday 12th November

10:00 – Training at the Stadio Comunale in Abano Terme (first 15 minutes open to the media)

13:15 – Press meeting with one player at La Residence & Hidrokinesis

16:30 – Training at the Stadio Comunale in Abano Terme (closed)

Wednesday 13th November

10:00 – Training at the Stadio Comunale in Abano Terme (first 15 minutes open to the media)

13:15 – Press meeting with one player at La Residence & Hidrokinesis

16:30 – Training at the Stadio Comunale in Abano Terme (closed)

Thursday 14th November

10:00 – Training at the Stadio Comunale in Abano Terme (first 15 minutes open to the media)

13:15 – Press meeting with one player at La Residence & Hidrokinesis

17:00 – Travel from Ferrara c/o Unaway Hotel Occhiobello (Via Eridania 36 – 45030 Santa Maria Maddalena (Ro)

Friday 15th November

15:30      (tbc) – Paolo Nicolato’s press conference at the stadium in Ferrara

16:30 – Training at the stadium in Ferrara (first 15 minutes open to the media)

 Saturday 16th November

10:00 – Training (closed)

11:00 – Exclusive RAI TV interview with Paolo Nicolato

18:30 ITALY vs. Iceland followed by the post-match press conference and dinner at the hotel.

 Sunday 17th November

10:00 – Training (closed)

16:00 – V7 1264 flight Venice-Catania

17.55 – Arrival in Catania and transfer to the Una Hotel Palace di Catania (Via Etnea 218 – 95131 Catania)

Monday 18th November

15:30 (tbc) – Paolo Nicolato’s press conference at the Stadio Angelo Massimino

16:30 (tbc) – Official training at the Stadio Angelo Massimino (First 15 minutes open to the media)

Tuesday 19th November

10:00 – Training (closed)

11:00 – Exclusive RAI TV with Paolo Nicolato

18:30 –ITALY vs. Armenia,  followed by the post-match press conference and dinner at the hotel.

 Wednesday 20th November

Return to club sides.

On a chilly night in Dublin, Italy left with a 0-0 draw that perhaps suits Ireland better as they remain top of the group with ten points after four games. It was a tough and hard-fought match as was to be expected. The game was also shaped by the injury of Marchizza who had to go off after 22 minutes and Moise Kean’s red card as Paolo Nicolato stated after the whistle. “The Marchizza injury hurt us, then there was the Kean red card. It’s our fault if we respond to provocation, you can’t fall for it.”

The Under-21 National Team lined up in the usual 4-3-3 formation with Tonali and Pellegrini back following their spells with the senior side. In goal, the Coach opted for Carnesecchi ahead of Plizzari and Frattesi was selected to play out wide ahead of Kean. The full starting XI was: Carnesecchi; Del Prato, Bastoni, Marchizza, Pellegrini; Locatelli, Tonali, Carraro; Frattesi, Pinaamonti, Scamacca.

Coming into the game following a big 5-0 win over Luxembourg, the young Italy side were up against a stronger side in both technical and physical terms. Nicolato asked for determination from his side before they come up against a strong opponent. The Azzurrini started on the 16th minute and went very close in the 16th minute through a Pinamonti effort that went just the wrong side of the post. As time went on, the physicality of the home side took its toll as they raised the tempo and put Nicolato’s side in trouble with Marchizza having to go off and he was replaced in the 23rd minute. In the 23rd minute, Ronan forced Carnesecchi into a save with a shot from outside the box that he was ready for.

There were few chances of real note. In the 32nd minute, Frattesi got a shot away after the ball rebounded to him but the put it over.

In the second half, there were two changes as Cutrone and Kean came on for Pinamonti and Scamaccca. The Azzurrini looked to get up the pitch and cause problems for the Irish. They went close in the 56th minute as Adjapng hit a right-foot effort from outside the box that was saved at the cost of a corner. In the 57th minute, both sides were reduced to ten minutes after Kean and Parrott were sent off after shoving one another after the whistle had gone.

Nicolato looked to patch things up and brought Sottil on for Carraro to bring solidity to a side that was defending well but struggling to strike at the other end. In the 81st minute, the hosts went close in the 81st minute when Carnesecchi made an instinctive save from a Molumby free kick.

Italy were pegged back and struggling to get up the pitch while Ireland had the momentum but the final whistle went. Nicolato was calm if not satisfied after. “We were up against a good opponent who were better than us physically. Ours is a work in progress, we put in a brave performance though and showed desire. Now, I hope to see a different match in Armenia.”

Sandro Tonali will not travel to Yerevan as he joins the senior side.

Source:   figc.it

The Under-21 National Team have arrived in Dublin, where on Thursday at 21:05 CEST they’ll face hosts Ireland in their second European Championship qualifying match. It’s the Azzurrini’s first away match in their group and they’ll be coming up against the current Group 1 leaders: the Irish sit on full points thanks to wins against Luxembourg, Armenia and Sweden.

For the matches against Ireland and Armenia, there’s a new face in the squad – that of Salernitana midfielder Fabio Maistro. Meanwhile, Cagliari defender Luca Pellegrini and Brescia midfielder Sandro Tonali are back in the squad after being called up to the senior squad for the games played in September. However, Roberto Mancini announced that Tonali will ‘return’ to the senior side after the Under-21s’ trip to Dublin with Stefano Sensi out injured.

“I expect it to be a complicated match against a side doing very well,” warned Head Coach Paolo Nicolato. They have high-quality players who are making a good impression in the Premier League too. It’s a great test to see where we’re at after just starting out. Meanwhile, they’ve been working together for six months. Ireland’s Under-19 side did well at the last European Championship (reaching the semi-finals), while this year their senior side and Under-21s are also performing excellently. They play a modern style of football, football which is played on the ground and involves interplay between high-quality players.”

Irrespective of the opposition, Italy will try to impose their own game on the match (“this needs to be an obligation for us”) with the aim of providing service to Cutrone and Kean or other promising talents like Pinamonti, Sottil and Scamacca. “If there’s one thing I’m not worried about it’s our attacking options,” said Nicolato. “This team have many quality players. Of course, not everyone can play at the same time and someone will have to be sacrificed, but I know whoever I send out onto the pitch will make a contribution to the team.”

The primary objective however, remains to develop players for the National Team. “I hope that many will make the step up because that would mean that we have done a good job. We are one big family and our name is Italy.” The important thing is that the youngsters get opportunities in the league. “It’s clear that it’s more tiring for those who have fewer minutes under their belt. The fact that our boys have had a good amount of minutes so far gives us a bigger chance of winning something.”

Squad list

Goalkeepers: Marco Carnesecchi (Trapani), Mattia Del Favero (Piacenza), Alessandro Plizzari (Livorno);
Defenders: Claud Adjapong (Verona), Alessandro Bastoni (Inter), Enrico Delprato (Livorno), Matteo Gabbia (Milan), Riccardo Marchizza (Spezia), Luca Pellegrini (Cagliari), Luca Ranieri (Fiorentina), Marco Sala (Virtus Entella);
Midfielders: Marco Carraro (Perugia), Davide Frattesi (Empoli), Manuel Locatelli (Sassuolo), Giulio Maggiore (Spezia), Fabio Maistro (Salernitana), Sandro Tonali (Brescia), Niccolò Zanellato (Crotone);
Forwards: Patrick Cutrone (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Moise Kean (Everton), Andrea Pinamonti (Genoa), Gianluca Scamacca (Ascoli), Riccardo Sottil (Fiorentina).

Staff – Head Coach: Paolo Nicolato; Delegation Head: Massimo Paganin; Accompanying Director: Vincenzo Marinelli; Youth Co-ordinator: Maurizio Viscidi; Assistant Coach: Mirco Gasparetto; Secretary: Manfredi Martino; Fitness Coach: Vincenzo Pincolini; Goalkeeping Coach: Gian Matteo Mareggini; Match analyst: Francesco Bordin; Doctors: Angelo De Carli and Vincenzo Santoriello; Physiologist: Cristian Osgnach; Physiotherapists: Emiliano Bozzetti and Nicola Sanna; Osteopath: Cristiano Pompili.

Schedule

Sunday 6 October 2019
By 23:00 – Meeting at the Grand Hotel in Milan Malpensa

Monday 7 October 2019
11:00 – Flight EI 435 Milan Malpensa – Dublin
all time zones below: -1h compared to CEST
13:00 – Arrival in Dublin and transfer to KINSWOOD HOTEL CITY WEST 4* – Dublin
16:00 – Head Coach Nicolato’s press conference at KINSWOOD HOTEL CITY WEST 4*
18:00 training

Tuesday 8 October 2019
13:15 – Press conference with one player at the KINSWOOD HOTEL CITY WEST 4*
18:00 – Training (open to the press for the first 15 minutes)

Wednesday 9 October 2019
13:30 – Head Coach Nicolato’s press conference at KINSWOOD HOTEL CITY WEST 4*
20:00 – Official training at the Tallaght Stadium (open to the press for the first 15 minutes)

Thursday 10 October 2019
09:30 –Exclusive RAI TV interview with Head Coach Nicolato
11:00 – Training (closed)
20:05 – Tallaght Stadium in Dublin: REPUBLIC OF IRELAND VS. ITALY
followed by a post-match press conference

Friday 11 October 2019
10:00 – Chartered flight Dublin – Yerevan
time zone: +2 h. compared to CEST
18:25 – Arrival in Yerevan and transfer to RADISSON BLUE YEREVAN – Yerevan

Saturday 12 October 2019
13:15 – Press conference with one player at the RADISSON BLUE YEREVAN
18:00 – Training (open to the press for the first 15 minutes)

Sunday 13 October 2019
13:30 – Press conference with Head Coach Nicolato at the RADISSON BLUE YEREVAN
20:30 – Official training at FFA Academy Stadium (open to the press for the first 15 minutes)

Monday 14 October 2019
09:00 – Exclusive RAI TV interview with Head Coach Nicolato
11:00 – Training (closed)
20:30 – FFA Academy Stadium in Yerevan: ARMENIA VS. ITALY
followed by a post-match press conference, dinner and return to Italy on a chartered flight and end of the national meet

Source: figc.it