Schedule (all times CEST) Monday 7th September
13.00 – lunch
13.15 – meeting with press at the Hotel Dei Medaglioni
19.00 – training at Mapei – Città del Tricolore stadium (open to the press for the first 15 minutes) Tuesday 8th September
17.00 – Italy U21 vs Slovenia U21
at Mapei – Città del Tricolore stadium – RE
After the game there will be a press conference with the players GAMES PLAYED BY THE UNDER-21 SIDE IN REGGIO EMILIA
The U21s have won all their four matches played in Reggio Emilia. Italy 1-0 Greece
7th February 1990, Friendly
Italy 3-1 Sweden
24th March 2011, Friendly
Italy 3-0 Northern Ireland
14th November 2013, European qualifiers
Italy 3-1 Slovakia
14th October 2014, Qualifying Play-off to the EUROs     
 
ITALY vs. SLOVENIA: HEAD-TO-HEAD
Italy and Slovenia have played each other 5 times: The Azzurrini have won 4 of these encounters and drawn the other one. The Under-21 side will take to the pitch twice in October: There will be the away game against Slovenia and then the match against the Republic of Ireland at the stadio ‘Romeo Menti’ in Vicenza. Here are the details of all matches between Italy and Slovenia. Slovenia 1-1 Italy
8th September 1994, European qualifiers, Nova Gorica
Italy 1-0 Slovenia
7th September 1995, European qualifiers, Vicenza
Italy 5-0 Slovenia
17th January 2001, Friendly, San Benedetto del Tronto
Slovenia 0-3 Italy
8th October 2004, European qualifiers, Nova Gorica
Italy 1-0 Slovenia
7th October 2005, European qualifiers, Vicenza UEFA 2017 UNDER-21 EUROPEAN QUALIFIERS. GROUP 2, AZZURRINI’S SCHEDULE
8th September 2015: Italy vs. Slovenia
8th October 2015: Slovenia vs. Italy
13th October 2015: Italy vs. Republic of Ireland
13th November 2015: Serbia vs. Italy
17th November 2015: Italy vs. Lithuania
24th March 2016: Republic of Ireland vs. Italy
29th March 2016: Andorra vs. Italy
2nd September 2016: Italy vs. Serbia
6th September 2016: Italy vs. Andorra
11th October 2016: Lithuania vs. Italy TICKETS
The prices are as follows:
 
•    OFFICIAL GALLERY            Euro 10,00
•    DISTINTI                                  Euro   5,00 ]]>

It was Reggio Emilia’s Mapei Stadium that played host to the play-off against Slovakia around one year ago. As a result of the Azzurrini’s success over the Slovakian team, Luigi Di Biagio’s side qualified for the 2015 European Championship.
Tuesday’s match will be another important football event hosted by Reggio Emilia, a city on which FIGC rely considerably. The Women’s UEFA Champions League final will be held there on 26th May 2016, just two days ahead of the men’s tournament final to be held in Milan. It was Danilo Cataldi who addressed the media from the training camp today. The Lazio midfielder talked about the disappointing exit Italy experienced during last European Championship in Czech Republic: “We were very disappointed of course, but we had to get over it. We now have a new group of players and many of them were not there. We all are very willing to work hard, we’re a very young group. I hope that this two-year period will finish with us winning a title.” The first opponent in the upcoming European qualifiers will be Slovenia: “It will certainly be a tough game,” warned Cataldi, “but we’re calm. We’ll try to win because a good start is important.” Schedule (all times CEST) Sunday 6th September
10.00 – training (closed to the press)
16.05 – travel by train from Rome to Reggio Emilia and check into Hotel “Dei Medaglioni”- Correggio (RE) Monday 7th September
13.00 – lunch
13.15 – meeting with press at the Hotel “Dei Medaglioni
19.00 – training at “Mapei – Città del Tricolore” stadium (open to the press for the first 15 minutes) Tuesday 8th September
17.00 – Italy U21 vs Slovenia U21
at “Mapei – Città del Tricolore” stadium – RE
After the game there will be a press conference with the players GAMES PLAYED BY THE UNDER-21 SIDE IN REGGIO EMILIA
The U21s have won all their four matches played in Reggio Emilia. Italy 1-0 Greece
7th February 1990, Friendly Italy 3-1 Sweden
24th March 2011, Friendly Italy 3-0 Northern Ireland
14th November 2013, European qualifiers Italy 3-1 Slovakia
14th October 2014, Qualifying Play-off to the EUROs     
 
ITALY vs. SLOVENIA: HEAD-TO-HEAD
Italy and Slovenia have played each other 5 times: The Azzurrini have won 4 of these encounters and drawn the other one. The Under-21 side will take to the pitch twice in October: There will be the away game against Slovenia and then the match against the Republic of Ireland at the stadio ‘Romeo Menti’ in Vicenza. Here are the details of all matches between Italy and Slovenia.
Slovenia 1-1 Italy
8th September 1994, European qualifiers, Nova Gorica
Italy 1-0 Slovenia
7th September 1995, European qualifiers, Vicenza
Italy 5-0 Slovenia
17th January 2001, Friendly, San Benedetto del Tronto
Slovenia 0-3 Italy
8th October 2004, European qualifiers, Nova Gorica
Italy 1-0 Slovenia
7th October 2005, European qualifiers, Vicenza UEFA 2017 UNDER-21 EUROPEAN QUALIFIERS. GROUP 2, AZZURRINI’S SCHEDULE
8th September 2015: Italy vs. Slovenia
8th October 2015: Slovenia vs. Italy
13th October 2015: Italy vs. Republic of Ireland
13th November 2015: Serbia vs. Italy
17th November 2015: Italy vs. Lithuania
24th March 2016: Republic of Ireland vs. Italy
29th March 2016: Andorra vs. Italy
2nd September 2016: Italy vs. Serbia
6th September 2016: Italy vs. Andorra
11th October 2016: Lithuania vs. Italy TICKETS
The prices are as follows:
 
•    OFFICIAL GALLERY            Euro 10,00
•    DISTINTI                                  Euro   5,00   ]]>

Rolando Mandragora, who made five Serie A appearances with Genoa last season, was born in 1997 and so is the youngest member of the Azzurrini squad. “We’re a great group,” said the Pescara midfielder in an interview with VivoAzzurro (click here for the whole interview). “There are many individuals with great quality such as Bernardeschi, Cataldi, Romagnoli and Rugani. We’re a close-knit group. The match against Slovenia is only our first game, but we’ll play it as if it’s the most important game of the season.”
Mandragora is hoping to emulate Marco Verrattim who also made his breakthrough in Pescara. “We’re different players. It would be great though if I could follow in his footsteps.” The 18-year-old said this when asked to describe what type of player he was: “I’m a midfielder who loves to be on the ball a lot. I have good technique but I also carry out defensive tasks. My role model would be a player like Thiago Motta. I always try to give 100% for the team.”
Schedule (all times CEST)
Friday 4th September
17.00 – training (closed to the press)
Saturday 5th September
13.15 – meeting with press (players)
17.00 – training (open to the press) Sunday 6th September
10.00 – training (closed to the press)
16.05 – travel by train from Rome to Reggio Emilia and check into Hotel “Dei Medaglioni”- Correggio (RE) Monday 7th September
13.00 – lunch
13.15 – meeting with press at the Hotel “Dei Medaglioni
19.00 – training at “Mapei – Città del Tricolore” stadium (open to the press for the first 15 minutes) Tuesday 8th September
17.00 – Italy U21 vs Slovenia U21
at “Mapei – Città del Tricolore” stadium – RE
After the game there will be a press conference with the players   ]]>

Italy’s first opponent will be Slovenia: “They’re a tough team to face,” Di Biagio went on to say, “We have many players who have already taken part in senior teams’ training camps, but we still have to have clear in mind that our main goal is to prepare our players for the senior team and make them ready as soon as possible for Conte’s squad.”
The tactical line-up and the starting XI have yet to be decided. “My ideal system is a 4-3-3 formation, but I am well aware that my players are very familiar with a 4-4-2 system: The main difference between club and national team is the time you have at your disposal. I will try out many different solutions in the next few days and will then decide how the team will line up.” Squad
Goalkeepers: Alessio Cragno (Cagliari), Ivan Provedel (Modena), Simone Scuffet (Como);
Defenders: Antonio Barreca (Cagliari), Arturo Calabresi (Livorno), Andrea Conti (Atalanta), Alex Ferrari (Bologna), Nicola Murru (Cagliari), Alessio Romagnoli (Milan), Daniele Rugani (Juventus), Lorenzo Venuti (Brescia); Francesco Vicari (Novara);
Midfielders: Marco Benassi (Torino), Danilo Cataldi (Lazio), Bryan Cristante (Benfica), Rolando Mandragora (Pescara), Augustin Jose Mauri (Milan), Valerio Verre (Pescara);
Forwards: Federico Bernardeschi (Fiorentina), Kingsley Boateng (Bari), Alberto Cerri (Cagliari), Nicolò Fazzi (Virtus Entella), Gaetano Monachello (Atalanta), Daniele Verde (Frosinone).
Staff: Giancarlo Antognoni (head of delegation); Vincenzo Marinelli (delegate); Maurizio Viscidi (vice coordinator youth national teams); Luigi Di Biagio (coach); Carmine Nunziata (assistant coach); Emiliano Cozzi (secretary); Antonio Chimenti (goalkeepers coach); Vito Azzone (sport trainer); Angelo De Carli and Carmine Costabile (doctors); Enzo Paolini and Guido Mauro Ferrini (masseur); Claudio Gagliardi and Emilio Basili (warehouse workers) The schedule (time all CEST) Tuesday 1st September
10.00  – training (closed to the press)
13.15 – meeting with press (the coach)
17.00 – training (open to the press) Wednesday 2nd September
10.00 – training (closed to the press)
17.00 – training (closed to the press) Thursday 3rd September
17.00 – practice game, U21s vs Lupa Roma
after the game meeting with the press.
                   
Friday 4th September
17.00 – training (closed to the press) Saturday 5th September
13.15 – meeting with press (players)
17.00 – training (open to the press) Sunday 6th September
10.00 – training (closed to the press)
16.05 – travel by train from Rome to Reggio Emilia and check into Hotel “Dei Medaglioni”- Correggio (RE) Monday 7th September
13.00 – lunch
13.15 – meeting with press at the Hotel “Dei Medaglioni
19.00 – training at “Mapei – Città del Tricolore” stadium (open to the press for the first 15 minutes)
           
Tuesday 8th September
17.00 – Italy U21 vs Slovenia U21
at “Mapei – Città del Tricolore” stadium – RE              
After the game there will be a press conference with the players   ]]>

Squad
Goalkeepers: Alessio Cragno (Cagliari), Ivan Provedel (Modena), Simone Scuffet (Como);
Defenders: Antonio Barreca (Cagliari), Arturo Calabresi (Livorno), Andrea Conti (Atalanta), Alex Ferrari (Bologna), Nicola Murru (Cagliari), Alessio Romagnoli (Milan), Daniele Rugani (Juventus), Michele Somma (Brescia), Lorenzo Venuti (Brescia); Francesco Vicari (Novara);
Midfielders: Marco Benassi (Torino), Danilo Cataldi (Lazio), Bryan Cristante (Benfica), Rolando Mandragora (Pescara), Augustin Jose Mauri (Milan), Valerio Verre (Pescara);
Forwards: Federico Bernardeschi (Fiorentina), Kingsley Boateng (Bari), Alberto Cerri (Cagliari), Nicolò Fazzi (Virtus Entella), Gaetano Monachello (Atalanta), Daniele Verde (Frosinone).
Staff: Giancarlo Antognoni (head of delegation); Vincenzo Marinelli (delegate); Maurizio Viscidi (vice coordinator youth national teams); Luigi Di Biagio (coach); Carmine Nunziata (assistant coach); Emiliano Cozzi (secretary); Antonio Chimenti (goalkeepers coach); Vito Azzone (sport trainer); Angelo De Carli and Carmine Costabile (doctors); Enzo Paolini and Guido Mauro Ferrini (masseur); Claudio Gagliardi and Emilio Basili (warehouse workers) The schedule (time all CEST) Monday 31st August
meet up by 12.30 CEST at “Mancini Park Hotel” – Rome
17.00 – training (closed to the press) Tuesday 1st September
10.00  – training (closed to the press)
13.15 – meeting with press (the coach)
17.00 – training (open to the press) Wednesday 2nd September
10.00 – training (closed to the press)
17.00 – training (closed to the press) Thursday 3rd September
17.00 – practice game, U21s vs Lupa Roma
after the game meeting with the press.
                   
Friday 4th September
17.00 – training (closed to the press) Saturday 5th September
13.15 – meeting with press (players)
17.00 – training (open to the press) Sunday 6th September
10.00 – training (closed to the press)
16.05 – travel by train from Rome to Reggio Emilia and check into Hotel “Dei Medaglioni”- Correggio (RE) Monday 7th September
13.00 – lunch
13.15 – meeting with press at the Hotel “Dei Medaglioni
19.00 – training at “Mapei – Città del Tricolore” stadium (open to the press for the first 15 minutes)
           
Tuesday 8th September
17.00 – Italy U21 vs Slovenia U21
at “Mapei – Città del Tricolore” stadium – RE              
After the game there will be a press conference with the players   ]]>