The series of meetings between Italy’s head coach Luciano Spalletti and Serie A clubs, which began last Wednesday at “Viola Park” in Florence, continued on 15 August at Empoli's “Sussidiario” in the “Carlo Castellani” Stadium. There, Spalletti met with Empoli's head coach Roberto D'Aversa, sporting director Roberto Gemmi, and scouting manager Armando Perna. After greeting the team, Spalletti observed the afternoon training session led by D’Aversa.

Spalletti's return to Empoli holds a special significance, it’s where he concluded his playing career and began his coaching journey, initially with the youth teams and then moving up to the senior squad in the 1993-94 season. His time at Empoli included a remarkable rise from Serie C to Serie A, along with winning a Coppa Italia C and achieving survival in the top flight during his first season. The national team also played its first-ever match at this venue last June, with Spalletti in charge, prior to heading to Euro 2024.

Spalletti’s meetings with Serie A clubs started at the beginning of his tenure in September 2023. The aim is to engage with coaches and club officials while closely monitoring Italian players. After visiting all 20 clubs last season, the tour has resumed, beginning with Florence and Empoli, and will continue throughout the year.

Looking ahead, the national team will resume activities with two away fixtures. The squad will assemble on 1 September at the Coverciano Technical Centre, with the list of call-ups announced at the end of August. This will be followed by a match against France on 6 September at the Parc des Princes in Paris and another against Israel on 9 September at the Bozsik Stadion in Budapest. These matches are part of the new UEFA Nations League 2024-25 campaign. Italy is in League A, Group 2, facing France, Belgium, and Israel. The objective is to secure a top-two finish to advance to the quarter-finals, a new stage introduced this year before reaching the Finals. The bottom two positions could lead to relegation or a play-out with a League B team.