Category Archives: Italian National Team

International Friendly: Preview Italy vs San Marino, Friday 28 May 2021

International Friendly, Italian National Team

https://www.italiansoccerseriea.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Anna_Italia_bigger.jpgBy Anna Italia
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Italian Soccer Serie A

                                              Italy – San Marino

 

We are all set for the International Friendly game Italy and San Marino on Friday 28 May 2021 at the Sardegna Arena in Cagliari, Italy at 20:45.   Italy is preparing for the UEFA Euro 2020.  Here is a preview.  Stats:  Italy and San Marino have played twice in friendly games with Italy winning  4-0 in both 1992 and 2013.

Surely, the challenge is for Italy Head Coach Roberto Mancini to keep up the positive flow.  Italy winning 6-0 against Moldova and the 4-0 against Estonia.  If Italy defeat San Marino, it would be winning 3 consecutive friendlies with at least four goals for the first time in its history (two in a row also in 1938, in 1942 and in 1989).  On the other hand, San Marino could become the third team to lose three games in a row by at least four goals against Italy, after Liechtenstein and the USA.

Since Roberto Mancini’s first match on the national team bench (28 May 2018), Italy have kept a clean sheet 18 times out of 30 games; only Denmark (21 clean sheets, but in 33 games) did better among European teams during the period.  Italy are unbeaten in their last 22 home games (12 wins, 10 draws).  Italy have not done better since 2011, when they stopped at 23.    Mancini is the Italy coach who has won the most games in the first 30 on the Azzurri bench: 21 wins (7N, 2P), with Sacchi and Vicini following at 20.

The Italian team have played 5 games in Cagliari with stats: 2 wins, including one in the most recent game (v Russia in 2005), two draws and one defeat.  Italy have won all of their last six games by at least two goals and have already broken their record of five, set in both 1973 and 1980.  Italy have kept a clean sheet in their last six games and have not done better since 1990, when they reached 10.

Torino forward Andrea Belotti, with seven goals, is the best scorer of the national team in the Mancini era, followed by Jorginho and Immobile with five goals: seven of the 11 goals of the Torino attacker came with the current coach, the remaining four under the guidance by Ventura.

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Italy


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International Friendly
Italy – San Marino
Friday 28 May 2021
Sardegna Arena
Cagliari, Italy
20:45

Referee: Trustin Farrugia
Assistants: Luke Portelli and Edward Spiteri
Fourth official: Antonio Giua

 

International Friendly: Italy vs San Marino, Match Officials, Referee Trustin Farrugia, Friday 28 May 2021

International Friendly, Italian National Team

https://www.italiansoccerseriea.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Anna_Italia_bigger.jpgBy Anna Italia
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Facebook: Anna Italia Page
Instagram: annaitalia2
Italian Soccer Serie A

                                              Italy – San Marino

Here are the match officials for the International Friendly game Italy vs San Marino to be played on Friday 28 May 2021 at the Sardegna Arena in Cagliari, Italy.

Referee Trustin Farrugia from Malta will be assisted by Luke Portelli and Edward Spiteri also from Malta.  The fourth official will be Antonio Giua from Italy.

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Ticket option for Italy National team games

Italy


==============================

International Friendly
Italy – San Marino
Friday 28 May 2021
Sardegna Arena
Cagliari, Italy
20:45

Referee: Trustin Farrugia
Assistants: Luke Portelli and Edward Spiteri
Fourth official: Antonio Giua

 

Italy Team Training Thursday 27 May 2021 ahead of Friendly with San Marino

Italian National Team

https://www.italiansoccerseriea.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Anna_Italia_bigger.jpgBy Anna Italia
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Facebook: Anna Italia Page
Instagram: annaitalia2
Italian Soccer Serie A

Italy Head Coach Roberto Mancini completing training with the team on Thursday 27 May 2021.  The team had a morning training session at the Forte Village Resort.  The training was open during the first 15 minutes follow by Mancini’s Press Conference.   Italy will play the friendly game against San Marino at the Sardegna Arena in Cagliari on Friday 28 May.   A minute’s silence will be observed for the tragedy on the cable-car in Mottarone and the passing of Tarcisio Burgnich.

As reported by the Italian Football Federation, (FIGC), Mancini announcing  the Starting XI during the press conference: Cragno in goal, a back-four of Toloi, Mancini, Ferrari and Biraghi, Cristante partnered by Ferrari and Biraghi in midfield and Bernadeschi, Kean and Grifo in attack. Raspadori will not start. “He is good, very competent technically – said Mancini – and I think he has a fantastic future. But he is not completely fit. If he recovers, sometime between today and tomorrow we will send him to the U21s, then we will make a judgement”. The first part of this training camp comes to an end tomorrow and will be followed by a week in Coverciano. Mancini is not hiding his ambitions: ‘I hope this squad can entertain the Italian fans at the Euros.

The National Team playing in major tournaments has always brought the nation together: even in difficult moments, the side has given the people a lift. Everything is going well, it was important that we had the opportunity to judge the players’ condition and do some recovery work. Then, clearly, from Monday the focus will shift completely in Coverciano”.

It’s a chance for some fresh air, as the Coach mentioned: “The boys are calm and relaxed. News from the transfer market? These things have always happened, the market always coincides with Euros and World Cups: ideally, these situations can be resolved in advance. But whatever happens, our players are mature and will deal with it accordingly”.

The Euros are coming up and, with that, will come tough choices. “They will be painful choices – explained Mancini – but I plan to get to 26 without adding any other players. We will see, though, a lot can change between now and 1 June. The medical staff are treating those with injuries. Pellegrini is improving day by day, Verratti is recovering quicker than expected and we will evaluate Sensi’s condition over the coming days. The possibility of re-lapses for him worry us, but we will do everything we can to take him with us to the tournament. We will hope to take the best 26 players to the Euros, especially those who fit and in form”.

With not long to go until Euro 2020, the words of Giorgio Chiellini, a veteran of the Italian side, hold weight: “We have what it takes to do well. The other teams are very strong and we respect them. Every game will be difficult, but it is natural that we are going there to win. We can go far in the competition, we can get to Wembley. During Euro 2020, we must play with enthusiasm, whilst being carefree and a little bit mad. The thought of playing in front of 20,000 fans in Rome is incredible”.

Goalkeepers: Alessio Cragno (Cagliari), Gianluigi Donnarumma (Milan), Alex Meret (Napoli), Salvatore Sirigu (Torino);

Defenders: Francesco Acerbi (Lazio), Alessandro Bastoni (Inter), Cristiano Biraghi (Fiorentina), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli), Gian Marco Ferrari (Sassuolo), Alessandro Florenzi (Paris Saint-Germain), Gianluca Mancini (Roma), Leonardo Spinazzola (Roma), Rafael Toloi (Atalanta);

Midfielders: Nicolò Barella (Inter), Gaetano Castrovilli (Fiorentina), Bryan Cristante (Roma), Manuel Locatelli (Sassuolo), Lorenzo Pellegrini (Roma), Matteo Pessina (Atalanta), Stefano Sensi (Inter), Marco Verratti (Paris Saint-Germain);

Forwards: Andrea Belotti (Torino), Domenico Berardi (Sassuolo), Federico Bernardeschi (Juventus), Federico Chiesa (Juventus), Vincenzo Grifo (Freiburg), Ciro Immobile (Lazio), Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli), Moise Kean (Paris Saint-Germain), Matteo Politano (Napoli), Giacomo Raspadori (Sassuolo).

Italy’s schedule (all times CEST)

Friday 28 May
20.45 – Italy vs. San Marino at the Sardegna Arena in Cagliari

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