Azzurri land in Toulouse and get a feel for the pitch at the stadium

EURO 2016, Italian National Team

The Italy National team landed in Toulouse this evening, where they will play their second game at Euro 2016 against Sweden (ko 15:00 CEST). Head coach Antonio Conte and captain Gigi Buffon addressed the media in a press conference and then inspected the pitch at the Toulouse Municipal Stadium. Around 9,000 Italian supporters are expected for tomorrow’s match.

Italy and Sweden will meet for the 23rd time tomorrow; the Azzurri have a good record against the men in yellow with 10 victories, 6 draws and 6 losses. Italy have netted 27 times and conceded 24 goals in fixtures against the Swedes. The last encounter between the two sides took place on 18th November 2009, with the Azzurri prevailing in a friendly in Cesena thanks to Giorgio Chiellini’s winner. Italy’s last defeat occurred 18 years ago (1-0 in a friendly held in Goteborg). Since that loss, the Azzurri have recorded three wins and a draw. That 1-1 draw, however, came during Euro 2004 and resulted in Italy being knocked out in the group stage despite having recorded five points and remaining unbeaten.

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.

Italy’s EURO 2016 schedule 

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
17.45 MD-1 Media activities: Press conference (Head coach/1 or 2 players) / HBs
18.30 MD-1 Walk around at the stadium

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

Source:  figc.it