All are focused and ready to be reserves if needed in order to go to France. Now that he is currently going through this experience, Danilo Cataldi has no intention of giving up. “It already means a lot to be here and to have the opportunity to train alongside great players. I’m looking to learn from everyone. If there was a need for me to be a reserve then I would be happy to be a reserve. I am aware that I don’t have a great chance of going to the European Championship but I will play until the very end to try and make it. It’s very nice to be thought of as among the top 30 Italian players. I hope that my next step will be to play as much as possible next season, score and pick up assists because I am a midfielder of a certain type and I can’t make a quantum leap without doing this.”
Torino defender Zappacosta also discussed the possibility of seeing Giampiero Ventura at the helm of the Azzurri. “Given that this is rightly a decision for president Tavecchio, I can only say that Ventura is an excellent coach. He knows how to transmit great intensity into the side.” Zappacosta also discussed his chances of sealing a place in the final squad that will go to France. “Conte wants to do well and his intensity in training stuck me. It is on us to give our all to show that we are at the same standard as the rest of the group. I want to convince him to have faith in me.”
Lorenzo Tonelli was focused on the present as he dismissed thoughts about his transfer for next season. “My expectation for these days was to be able to pick up something from these players who are used to this international setup. I see that Conte is very prepared on a tactical level, there is a lot to learn and a lot to experiment with in terms of new tactical shapes. Would I go to France as a reserve? I’d go as bottle carrier.”
As a starter and a key player in the Under-21 side, Marco Benassi also intends to play his cards right. “I am here at the moment and I will give my all to honour the Azzurri shirt in the best of ways.”
Squad list
Goalkeepers: Federico Marchetti (Lazio), Antonio Mirante (Bologna), Marco Sportiello (Atalanta);
Defenders: Francesco Acerbi (Sassuolo), Davide Astori (Fiorentina), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Armando Izzo (Genoa), Angelo Obinze Ogbonna (West Ham), Lorenzo Tonelli (Empoli);
Midfielders: Marco Benassi (Torino), Federico Bernardeschi (Fiorentina), Antonio Candreva (Lazio), Danilo Cataldi (Lazio), Daniele De Rossi (Roma), Lorenzo De Silvestri (Sampdoria), Stephan El Shaarawy (Roma), Alessandro Florenzi (Roma), Emanuele Giaccherini (Bologna), Jorge Luiz Jorginho (Napoli), Marco Parolo (Lazio), Roberto Soriano (Sampdoria), Davide Zappacosta (Torino);
Forwards: Fabio Borini (Sunderland), Citadin Martins Eder (Inter), Ciro Immobile (Torino), Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli), Leonardo Pavoletti (Genoa), Graziano Pellè (Southampton).
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):
Training camp 18 – 21 May 2016
Friday, 20th May 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, 21st May 2016
10:30 Training session (behind closed doors)
Players to return to their respective clubs at the end
***
Pre-European Championship training camp and ITALY vs. SCOTLAND friendly
Monday, 23rd May 2016
Announcement of the called-up players in the evening
Tuesday, 24th May 2016
12:00 Meet up in Coverciano – Sponsor Day
13:30 Press conference (Italy head coach)
16:30 Training session (open to media for the first 15’)
Wednesday, 25th May 2016
10:30 Training session (behind closed doors)
13:30 Press conference (players)
16:30 Training session (open to media for the first 15’)
Thurday, 26th May 2016
10:30 Training session (behind closed doors)
13:30 Press conference with FIAT
15:30 Press conference (players)
17:00 Training session (open to media for the first 15’)
Friday, 27th May 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, 28th May 2016
10:30 Training session (behind closed doors)
16:25 Departure for Malta (flight Firenze-Malta)
18:25 Scheduled arrival in Malta and transfer to Westin Dragonara Hotel
19:00 Press conference at the Ta’ Qali Stadium (Italy head coach + one player)
Sunday, 29th May 2016
20:45 Friendly ITALY vs. SCOTLAND at the Ta’ Qali Stadium
Press conference and transfer to the airport following the game
00:50 Departure of charter flight to Roma/ Milano Malpensa
***
Pre-European Championship training camp and ITALY vs. FINLAND friendly
Tuesday, 31st May 2016 (Submission to UEFA of the EURO 2016 official 23-man squad within 24:00)
18:00 Meet up at the Parco dei Principi Hotel in Rome
20:30 RAI TV show ‘Sogno Azzurro”
22:30 Departure from Rome to Florence and transfer to Coverciano
Tuesday, 1st June 2016
10:00 Official squad photo with Scervino and Puma outfits (open only to photographers and TV operators)
followed by a training session behind closed doors
14:30 Press conference (players)
16:30 Training session (open to media for the first 15’)
Thurday, 2nd 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’)
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