The Under-21 National Team have two more fixtures ahead of the summer’s European Championship finals. Krakow and Rome will host the upcoming matches against Poland and Spain who have both also qualified and they will provide a real test for Luigi Di Biagio’s side as the coach prepares to narrow his squad down to 23.
Numerous withdrawals in recent days have forced the coach to revaluate his squad ahead of tomorrow’s match in Krakow at 20:45 CEST. “Tomorrow, we will have to experiment with all of these absences,” Di Biagio. “I’ll try to find a new solution so that I shake off my final doubts before naming the 23 players for the squad who will go to the European Championship.
A man with clear ideas, Di Biagio knows what he wants and expects to see from his team, even in friendlies. “We have a chance to try new things in a match, Poland will make us play very well,” he added. “I’ve heard from Boniek and he confirmed to me that much is expected from them at the European Championship. Because of this, it will be an excellent test to see how the guys are developing. We have to think that results always come from good performances and we’ll aim to play a good game.”
“I believe that this European Championship will be the best in 20 years, we’re happy that some of my guys have been called up to the senior side,” added Di Biagio. “It’s evidence of the good work that began eight years ago with Sacchi and Viscidi on our young players. The aim is to go far, always aware that we have to have the desire to win the main prize. We’ll see about the final squad and confirm things with Ventura. President Carlo Tavecchio and CEO Michele Uva are still telling me to take the best.”
Squad
Goalkeepers: Pierluigi Gollini (Atalanta), Simone Scuffet (Udinese);
Defenders: Antonio Barreca (Torino), Davide Biraschi (Genoa), Kevin Bonifazi (Spal), Davide Calabria (Milan), Alex Ferrari (Hellas Verona), Adam Masina (Bologna), Nicola Murru (Cagliari);
Midfielders: Marco Benassi (Torino), Danilo Cataldi (Genoa), Alberto Grassi (Atalanta), Manuel Locatelli (Milan), Rolando Mandragora (Juventus), Lorenzo Pellegrini (Sassuolo), Valerio Verre (Pescara);
Forwards: Domenico Berardi (Sassuolo), Alberto Cerri (Pescara), Federico Chiesa (Fiorentina), Federico Di Francesco (Bologna), Andrea Favilli (Ascoli), Luca Garritano (Cesena), Federico Ricci (Sassuolo).
Staff – Delegation Head: Giorgio Bottaro; Accompanying Director: Vincenzo Marinelli; Coach: Luigi Di Biagio; Assistant Coach: Carmine Nunziata; Secretary: Emiliano Cozzi; Goalkeeping Coach: Antonio Chimenti; Fitness Coach: Vito Azzone; Match Analyst: Filippo Lorenzon; Doctors: Angelo De Carli and Luca Gatteschi; Phyiotherapists: Enzo Paolini and Guido Mauro Ferrini; Nutritionists: Cristian Petri.
Schedule (All times CEST)
Schedule
Wednesday 22nd March
13:00 Meet the press in the hotel (Coach)
17:00 Training at Cracovia Stadium (First 15 minutes open to the press)
Thursday 23rd March
10:00 Training (closed)
20:45 POLAND vs. ITALY Under-21, Cracovia Stadium
Meeting with the press afterwards
Friday 24th March
10:00 Training (closed)
17:05 Return Flight
Saturday 25th March
16:00 Training (Open to the press)
Sunday 26th March
13:00 Meeting with the press at the hotel (Coach)
15:30 Training (Closed)
Monday 27th March
21:00 ITALY –SPAIN Under 21, Stadio Olimpico
Source: figc.it