The new two-year cycle for the Under 21 national team starts with the qualifying matches for Euro 2023 against Luxembourg and Montenegro, three months after their elimination in the quarter-finals of the European Championship at the hands of Portugal.

There are 26 players that Coach Paolo Nicolato has called up for the matches scheduled at Stadio Carlo Castellani in Empoli and at Stadio Romeo Menti in Vicenza on 3 and 7 September (both at 17.30 CEST). Many faces are well-known, but importantly, ten players have been given their first call up: These include the defenders Andrea Carboni (Cagliari), Antonino Gallo (Lecce) and Andrea Papetti (Brescia), midfielders Marco Brescianini (Monza), Jacopo Da Riva (Spal), Nicolò Fagioli (Juventus) and Filippo Ranocchia (Juventus), and forwards Matteo Cancellieri (Verona), Roberto Piccoli (Atalanta) and Kelvin Yeboah (Sportklub Sturm Graz).

The Azzurrini will meet in the evening on Sunday 29 August at the Olympic Preparation Centre in Tirrenia, where preparations will begin the next day.

The Azzurrini are back in Empoli ten years after their last ninety minutes played there, on 8 February 2011 in a friendly match that they won 1-0 against England. The Under 21s have played six matches in Vicenza, five Euro qualifiers and one, the most recent, a friendly with Tunisia on 15 October 2018.

While there is only one previous match against Montenegro - a friendly match won by Italy on 4 June 2014 - there are twelve against Luxembourg, all in favour of the Azzurrini who have racked up twelve victories.

After these two matches, the Under 21 will be hosted by Bosnia and Herzegovina on 8 October before facing Sweden at Monza’s stadium on Tuesday the 12th, with both matches valid for qualifying for the next European Under 21 Championship.

Squad List

Goalkeepers: Marco Carnesecchi (Cremonese), Alessandro Plizzari (AC Milan), Alessandro Russo (Alessandria);

Defenders: Raoul Bellanova (Girondins de Bordeaux), Riccardo Calafiori (Roma), Andrea Carboni (Cagliari), Gabriele Ferrarini (Perugia), Antonino Gallo (Lecce), Matteo Lovato (Atalanta), Caleb Okoli (Cremonese), Andrea Papetti (Brescia), Lorenzo Pirola (Monza), Iyenoma Destiny Udogie (Udinese);

Midfielders: Marco Brescianini (Monza), Jacopo Da Riva (Spal), Nicolò Fagioli (Juventus), Filippo Ranocchia (Juventus), Samuele Ricci (Empoli), Nicolò Rovella (Genoa), Sandro Tonali (AC Milan);

Forwards: Matteo Cancellieri (Hellas Verona), Lorenzo Colombo (Spal), Sebastiano Esposito (Basel 1893), Roberto Piccoli (Atalanta), Emanuel Vignato (Bologna), Kelvin Yeboah (Sportklub Sturm Graz).

The schedule (all times CEST)

Sunday 29 August

Meet up at the Olympic Preparation Centre in Tirrenia around 23.00

Monday 30 August

10.30 - Training (open only for RAI TV operators)

13.45 – Coach Nicolato press conference (RAI in attendance, followed by a Zoom for the press)

17.30 - Training (closed)

Tuesday 31 August

10.30 - Training (open only for RAI TV operators)

13.30 - Player press conference (RAI in attendance, followed by a Zoom for the press)

17.30 - Training (closed)

Wednesday 1 September

10.30 - Training (open only for RAI TV operators)

13.30 - Player press conference (RAI in attendance, followed by a Zoom for the press)

17.30 - Training (closed)

Thursday 2 September

10.30 - Training (closed)

13.45 - Coach Nicolato press conference (Rai in attendance, followed by a Zoom for the press)

19.00 – Visit to Stadio Carlo Castellani in Empoli

Friday 3 September

10.00 - Coach Nicolato interview exclusive to RAI TV

10.30 - Training (closed)

17.30 – ITALY vs. LUXEMBOURG - Stadio Carlo Castellani, Empoli. Press conference post-game and return to Tirrenia

Saturday 4 September

10.30 - Training (closed)

17.00 – Transfer to Vicenza Tiepolo Hotel

Sunday 5 September

15.30 - Coach Nicolato interview with RAI TV

17.30 - Training (closed)

Monday 6 September

10.30 - Training (closed)

13.45 - Coach Nicolato press conference (RAI in attendance, followed by a Zoom for the press)

19.00 - Visit to Stadio Romeo Menti in Monza

Tuesday 7 September

10.00 - Coach Nicolato interview exclusive to RAI TV

17.30 ITALY vs. MONTENEGRO - Stadio Romeo Menti, Vicenza. Press conference post-game and return of players to their respective clubs