There was another double session today for the Azzurri who are still working hard on the training ground at the National Training Centre in Coverciano with just over a week to go before the European Championships. Graziano Pellè has been training as normal after suffering a slight knee injury yesterday. The Italy team will test themselves against the Empoli academy tomorrow at 17:00 before travelling to Verona on Sunday ahead of their final warm-up friendly against Finland on Monday (ko 20:45 CEST). The Azzurri will leave for Montpellier on Wednesday 8th June.
Daniele De Rossi will be joining his teammates on the flight to France with the second highest number of caps in the squad and the highest number of international goals. A World Cup winner in 2006, the midfielder is one of the side’s senior players but the Roma man admitted that he was worried about not making the cut right up until the squad was announced. “On other occasions, I was sure of being selected”, De Rossi told the press conference, “Even if I missed the last two friendlies, in my heart I knew that I would be part of the team whereas with the injuries that I’ve had this season, I could have been a bit of a risk for the coach and I knew that even the training match on Thursday would be decisive because I had to show that I was fit”.
The call-up is just the start: “My objective is to perform well at the Euros and then to win it. I’m in excellent physical condition despite the slight stress on my tendon that I’ve been dealing with for some time – it’s been a problem area for me. We’re working really hard and I hope that the team’s fitness levels can be our secret weapon at these championships.
He is a player Antonio Conte can count on as a coach who has always been convinced that hard work and sweat are the foundations of success. “As a coach, he is brilliant at motivating the group,” said De Rossi. “He knows how to hit certain notes. We are certainly not among the favourites for Euro 2016 but we are a good team, organised and we have the potential to beat anyone.” De Rossi was very close to Andrea Pirlo who was for many years a key friend in the changing room: “I miss him like all of Italian football does,” added De Rossi. The Giallorossi midfielder is also standing by Thiago Motta after he received some criticism after being handed the number ten shirt. “From a technical perspective, he is not inferior to any of the great players who have worn this shirt, perhaps he is the only one here who deserves the number 10,” added De Rossi.
His connection to the Azzurri shirt has always been very strong and it wouldn’t be like De Rossi to say goodbye to the national side. “I don’t see a problem where my contribution to the team expires, the next coach will decide when the time is right. Sometimes, you make a decision because you don’t want to be dropped out of pride, but I don’t have this problem. I will always leave my door open to the national side.”
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.
The full programme is as follows (all times in CEST)
Pre-European Championship training camp and ITALY vs. FINLAND friendly
Friday, 3rd June 2016
10:30 Training session (behind closed doors)
13:30 Press conference (players)
16:30 Training session (open to media for the first 15’)
Saturday, 4th June 2016
09:30 Training session (behind closed doors)
13:30 Press conference (players)
16:30 Training session (open to media for the first 15’)
Sunday, 5th June 2016
10:30 Training session (behind closed doors)
16:00 Training session (behind closed doors)
18:03 Departure train from Florence to Verona Porta Nuova
20:10 Press conference at the Stadio Bentegodi (Italy head coach + one player)
Monday, 6th June 2016
20:45 Friendly ITALY vs. FINLAND at the Stadio Bentegodi
Press conference after the game
Wednesday, 8th June 2016
18:00 Meet up at the Malpensa Hotel
21:30 Departure of charter flight from Milano Malpensa to Montpellier
22:50 Scheduled arrival in Montpellier and transfer to Marriot Courtyard Hotel
*: The organisation of open training, as one of the competition rules, is run directly by UEFA who make a limited number of spaces open to the football associations in the finals. With this quota in place, the FIGC will reserve access to the Italian media as accredited by UEFA EURO 2016. The following limitations will apply: One journalist for any media outlet (Printed press or online), one photographer for any media outlet or accredited photography agency. Remaining tickets will be distributed according to availability.
Thursday 9th June
10:30 Open training session (Fans and Media)*
12:30 Inauguration of Casa Azzurri and Media Center (Parc des Expositions Montpellier – 115 Avenue des Levades, 34470 Perols); followed by press conferences from the coach and the players.
16:30 Training (behind closed doors)
Friday 10th June
10:30 Training (first 15 mins open to the public)
13:00 Press Conference (players)
16:30 Training (behind closed doors)
Saturday 11th June
10:30 Training (behind closed doors)
13:00 Press conference (players)
16:30 Training (behind closed doors)
Sunday 12th June
10:30 Training
17:20 Transfer to Montpellier airport
18:10 Chartered flight AZ8080 leaves for Lyon
19:00 Plane touched dows at Lyon airport and transfer to Stade de Lyon
19:30 Meeting with press by coach and 1-2 players (exclusive interviews and press conference)
20:30 Training (first 15 mins open to public)
Monday 13th June
21:00 Match: Belgium vs Italy
followed by media activity, transfer to Lyon airport and journey back to Montpellier
Tuesday 14th June
16:30 Training (first 15 mins open to public)
Wednesday 15th June
10:30 Training (closed)
13:00 Press conference (players)
16:30 Training (closed)
Thursday 16th June
10:30 Training (closed)
followed by transfer to Montpellier airport
16:15 Chartered flight AZ8080 leaves for Toulouse
17:10 Plane touches down at Toulouse airport and transfer to the Stadium de Toulouse
17:30 Press meeting with manager and 1-2 players
18:30 Training (first 15 mins open to public)
Friday 17th June
15:00 Match: Italy vs. Sweden
Followed by media activity, transfer to Toulouse airport and journey back to Montpellier
Saturday 18th June
16:30 Training (first 15 mins open to public)
Sunday 19th June
10:30 Training (first 15 mins open to public)
13:00 Press meeting at the Casa Azzurri
16.30 Training (closed)
Monday 20th June
10:30 Training (closed)
13:00 Press meeting at the Casa Azzurri
16:30 Training (closed)
Tuesday 21st June
10:30 Training (closed)
Tranfer to Montpellier airport in the afternoon
15:30 Chartered flight AZ8080 leaves for Lille
17:15 Plane touches down at Lille airport and transfer to the Stade Pierre Mauroy
17:45 Press meeting with coach and 1-2 players
18:30 Training (first 15 mins open to public)
Wednesday 22nd June
21:00 Match Italy vs. Republic of Ireland
followed by media activity, transfer to Lille airport and journey back to Montpellier