Following the defeats to Spain at Coverciano in January (2-0 and 2-1), the Italy U17s, reigning European champions, have registered another loss - this time against France in the first of two friendlies in Clairefontaine. The young Frenchmen beat the Azzurrini 2-0 with a brace from Caen midfielder Soan Amiline.

Coach Massimiliano Favo: “It was an odd game because we walked away with much less than we deserved with respect to the chances created. Unlike with the first round of European qualifiers, we have several absentees but this shouldn’t be an excuse, rather it’s an opportunity to assess a number of other lads who are on our radar in top-level games against opponents with football culture like our own”.

Italy will play France once again in Clairefontaine on Thursday 20 February at 11:00 CET. Favo added: “No one likes to lose, not me or my staff, but we can’t forget that these games are an opportunity for us to grow and understand what we have available to us, that’s why we have to give everyone a chance, ahead of the next round of qualifiers when we’ll be playing for both the Euro finals in Albania (19 May to 1 June) and the World Cup in Qatar (5 to 27 November)”.