By Anna Italia
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Countdown for Italy for their first game in the UEFA EURO 2016 against Belgium scheduled on Monday 13 June 2016 in Lyon, France at 21:00.   As reported by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), the Italian team had their final training at the Bernard Gasset Center on Sunday 12 June before their departure to Lyon.   The session was open to the press for the first 15 minutes  preceded by a video analysis session.

The Italian team highly motivated and attending the training were the President of the Italian Football Federation Carlo Tavecchio aned CEO Michele Uva.

• The Azzurri are expected to transfer to Montpellier’s Airport at  17.20 to depart to Lyon at 18:10.   The team is scheduled to arrive in Lyon around 19:00 and then will go to the Stadium.

Italy Head Coach Antonio Conte and captain Gianluigi Buffon are set to meet the press at 19:45 CEST at the Stade de Lyon.  The Italian team will also inspect the field of play before it hosts tomorrow’s match with Belgium. CONI president Giovanni Malagò, secretary general Roberto Fabbricini, IOC member Mario Pescanta, Italy’s ambassador to France Giandomenico Magliano and the consul general to Lyon Giulio Marongiu are all expected to attend the match.

President Tavecchio saying at Casa Azzurri, “I’m not sure where we’ll end up but I am convinced that we will do well.  We’ll certainly play to win like always and we’ll accept the final result. There is the right sense of tension, the group is united and Conte dominates everything with his usual style and ability. The boys are focused, but in moments of free time they’re enjoying themselves by playing billiards and ping pong. They’ve been a close-knit group after two years of spending time and working together and Conte counts a lot on this.”

As for the incidents happening in Marseille around the game England vs Russia,  “It’s a disgrace, tensions and ignorance from a section of society manifest themselves in football. In situations like this, the sale of alcohol should be limited or even completely banned.”

Official squad and shirt numbers

Goalkeepers: 1 Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), 13 Federico Marchetti (Lazio), 12 Salvatore Sirigu (Paris Saint Germain);
Defenders: 15 Andrea Barzagli (Juventus), 19 Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), 3 Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), 5 Angelo Obinze Ogbonna (West Ham);
Wingers: 21 Federico Bernardeschi (Fiorentina), 6 Antonio Candreva (Lazio),  4 Matteo Darmian (Manchester United), 2 Mattia De Sciglio (Milan), 22 Stephan El Shaarawy (Roma);
Midfielders: 16 Daniele De Rossi (Roma), 8 Alessandro Florenzi (Roma), 23 Emanuele Giaccherini (Bologna),10 Thiago Motta (Paris Saint Germain), 18 Marco Parolo (Lazio), 14 Stefano Sturaro (Juventus);
Forwards: 17 Citadin Martins Eder (Inter), 11 Ciro Immobile (Torino), 20 Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli), 9 Graziano Pellè (Southampton), 7 Simone Zaza (Juventus).
*Players on stand-by: Marco Benassi (Torino), Alex Meret (Udinese), Daniele Rugani (Juventus) and Davide Zappacosta (Torino)

Staff – Head coach: Antonio Conte; team manager: Gabriele Oriali; secretary: Mauro Vladovich; assistant coaches: Angelo Alessio, Massimo Carrera, Gianluca Spinelli, Gianluca Conte and Mauro Sandreani; fitness coaches: Costantino Coratti and Paolo Bertelli; federal doctors: Enrico Castellacci and Luca Gatteschi; physiotherapists: Aldo Esposito, Alessandro Donato, Takahiro Yamamoto and Pasquale Raia.

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Photo:  figc.it

Italy’s EURO 2016 schedule 

Sunday 12th
10.30 Training session – behind CLOSED DOORS
17.20 Team transfer to Montpellier’s airport
18.10 Flight departure to Lyon
19.00 Scheduled arrival to Lyon, transfer to the stadium
19.45 MD-1 Media activities: Press conference (Head coach/1 or 2 players) / HBs
20.30 MD-1 Official Training – OPEN TO MEDIA first 15’

Monday 13th
21.00 Match: Belgium vs Italy
followed by post match media activities: stadium and team to return to Montpellier

Tuesday 14th
16.30 Training session – OPEN TO MEDIA first 15’

Wednesday 15th
10.30 Training session – behind CLOSED DOORS
13.00 Media activity: Press conference (selected players) – Casa Azzurri MC
16.30 Training session – behind CLOSED DOORS

Thursday 16th
10.30 Training session – behind CLOSED DOORS
Followed by team transfer to Montpellier’s airport
16.15 Flight departure to Toulouse
17.10 Scheduled arrival to Toulouse; transfer to the stadium
17.30 MD-1 Media activities: Press conference (Head coach/1 or 2 players) / HBs
18.30 MD-1 Official Training – OPEN TO MEDIA first 15’

Friday 17th
15.00 Match: Italy vs Sweden
followed by post match Media activities – stadium and team to return to Montpellier

Saturday 18th
16.30 Training session – OPEN TO MEDIA first 15’ –

Sunday 19th
10.30 Training session – OPEN TO MEDIA first 15’ –
13.00 Media activity: Press conference – Casa Azzurri MC
16.30 Training session – behind CLOSED DOORS

Monday 20th
10.30 Training session – behind CLOSED DOORS
13.00 Media activity: Press conference – Casa Azzurri MC
16.30 Training session – behind CLOSED DOORS

Tuesday 21st
10.30 Training session – behind CLOSED DOORS
afternoon Team transfer to Montpellier’s Airport
15.30 Flight departure to Lille
17.15 Scheduled arrival to Lille, transfer to the stadium
17.45 MD-1 Media activities: Press conference (Head coach/1 or 2 players) / HBs
18.30 MD-1 Official Training – OPEN TO MEDIA first 15’

Wednesday 22nd
21.00 Match: Italy vs Republic of Ireland
followed by post match Media activities – stadium and team to return to Montpellier

Info For The Media
You are kindly reminded that:
Access to the Casa Azzurri Media Centre and to the training pitch in Grammont will be permitted from 30 minutes prior to the start of training exclusively to UEFA EURO 2016 accredited media staff. Any changes to the schedule and other logistical information for the media will be made available atfigc.it, through the FIGC’s social media channels and on the UEFA MIS platform.