The Women's National Team's first match of the year is now just around the corner: on Friday, Italy will make kick off the year at Viola Park (18:15 CET, live on Rai 2) with the aim of continuing their preparations ahead of the 2025 European Championships qualifying campaign, which will begin in April. It will also be the chance to celebrate the extraordinary journey of their captain with a victory. Meanwhile, on Tuesday 27 February (18:00 CET, live on Rai 2) in Algeciras, Spain, Andrea Soncin's team will face a second important test, this time against reigning European champions England, but the players' minds are only focused on the 90 minutes with Ireland.

Gama day needs to be perfect, on and off the pitch. Agnese Bonfantini is also aware of this, who has shared the changing room with Sara in the national team and also in her two years with Juventus, which began with a fine that 'Speedy' imposed on her young teammate for forgetting to wear the GPS during training. “I remember that when I arrived at Juventus I was a bit nervous," the striker admitted laughing. "I had already met her at a couple of national team call-ups and I was in awe, but then I realised that she is an extraordinary person. She is not a big talker, but she speaks a lot through her actions and above all through her eyes. She helped me in the first years of my career and I have to thank her because she made me grow in many aspects, not just football related. Friday will be an exciting evening and we will playing for her too."

Discipline, sacrifice, passion for this sport and desire to improve day after day, without forgetting her fundamental contribution in the rapid rise of Italian women's football. Gama, especially for younger players, is all this and more. “If we are here it is also thanks to her”, added Bonfantini, who is finding more and more opportunity in the new Azzurre project: “I am happy because there is no longer any tension," underlined the Nerazzurre. "We have fun and we love each other. The coach is giving me a lot of confidence. Like Sara, he doesn't talk much, but in a short space of time he has managed to create a great group."

In the afternoon, the Azzurre will train as per usual, while tomorrow - once again at Coverciano - the final session will take place after Soncin and Gama's press conference (13:00 CET). Manuela Giugliano will not be available against Ireland and England: the Roma midfielder has left camp due to a muscle strain in the flexor of her right leg and, like another Giallorosse player, Valentina Giacinti, she has returned to her parent club. 

TICKETING - Tickets for the match against the Republic of Ireland are on sale at authorised Vivaticket sales point and on the websites figc.vivaticket.it e vivaticket.com. Also, for this first fixture of the year, the FIGC has decided to continue its policy of affordable prices (full-priced tickets starting from €5), with tickets priced at just €1 for Under 18s and Over 65s.

Squad List

Goalkeepers: Rachele Baldi (Fiorentina), Laura Giuliani (Milan), Katja Schroffenegger (Fiorentina), Amanda Tampieri (Sampdoria);

Defenders: Elisa Bartoli (Roma), Valentina Bergamaschi (Milan), Lisa Boattin (Juventus), Aurora De Rita (Sampdoria), Lucia Di Guglielmo (Roma), Sara Gama (Juventus), Martina Lenzini (Juventus), Elena Linari (Roma), Elisabetta Oliviero (Sampdoria), Julie Piga (Milan), Cecilia Salvai (Juventus);

Midfielders: Arianna Caruso (Juventus), Giulia Dragoni (Barcelona), Aurora Galli (Everton), Giada Greggi (Roma), Eva Schatzer (Sampdoria), Emma Severini (Fiorentina);

Forwards: Barbara Bonansea (Juventus), Agnese Bonfantini (Inter), Michela Cambiaghi (Inter), Sofia Cantore (Juventus), Michela Catena (Fiorentina), Cristiana Girelli (Juventus), Benedetta Glionna (Roma), Miriam Longo (Fiorentina), Martina Piemonte (Everton), Annamaria Serturini (Inter).