"I work every day for the European Championship, I see that the group is very close and the level is very high here. My season still isn’t over, I have the same ambitions and desire as I did when I started. I want to be an important figure in this magnificent adventure that awaits us." This is what the Spal defender said at the Under-21 training camp in Rome ahead of the Under-21 European Championship finals. 

There are under ten days to go until the start of the competition and excitement is building for Di Biagio’s side. "We’re working a lot, the Coach is very serious and we all respect his instructions as it should be. At the same time, we’re able to enjoy ourselves on these training camp days which are long and there are times when we can unwind."

For the first time, Italy will host the tournament in what is the 21st edition. 12 teams will be competition and it will also determine who qualifies for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. With five trophies won (1992, 1994, 1996, 2000 and 2004)) out of seven final appearances, Italy are the most successful side in tournament history. By midnight Thursday, the Coach will confirm the list of 23 players who will be in his tournament squad. IN Group A, Italy will kick off on Sunday 16 June at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara in Bologna before facing Poland (Wednesday 19 June, 21:00 CEST in Bologna) and finally Belgium (Saturday 22 June at 21:00 CEST in Reggio Emilia).

This afternoon, Davide Calabria and Gabriele Moncini joined the squad in Formello.

Squad list

Goalkeepers: Emil Audero (Sampdoria), Alex Meret (Napoli), Lorenzo Montipò (Benevento);

Defenders: Claud Adjapong (Sassuolo), Alessandro Bastoni (Parma), Kevin Bonifazi (Spal), Arturo Calabresi (Bologna), Davide Calabria (Milan), Fabio De Paoli (Chievo Verona), Federico Dimarco (Parma), Sebastiano Luperto (Napoli), Giuseppe Pezzella (Genoa), Filippo Romagna (Cagliari);

Midfielders: Francesco Cassata (Frosinone), Gaetano Castrovilli (Cremonese), Manuel Locatelli (Sassuolo), Rolando Mandragora (Udinese), Alessandro Murgia (Spal), Sandro Tonali (Brescia), Luca Valzania (Frosinone);

Forwards: Federico Bonazzoli (Padova), Patrick Cutrone (Milan), Ferdinando Del Sole (Pescara), Gabriele Moncini (Cittadella), Riccardo Orsolini (Bologna), Riccardo Sottil (Pescara).

 

Staff – Delegation Head: Massimo Ambrosini; Team Manager: Vincenzo Marinelli; National Teams Co-ordinator: Maurizio Viscidi; Head Coach: Luigi Di Biagio; Secretary: Mauro Vladovich; Assistant Coaches: Massimo Mutarelli, Carmine Nunziata; Fitness Coach: Vito Azzone; Goalkeeper Coach: Antonio Chimenti; Match analyst: Filippo Lorenzon; Doctors: Angelo De Carli and Luca Gatteschi; Nutritionist: Cristian Petri; Physiotherapists: Enzo Paolini, Alfonso Casano, Emiliano Bozzetti. National teams department: Manfredi Martino.

 

Schedule

Friday 31 May

10:30 Training (first 15 minutes open to the press)

13:30 Press conference with a player

Saturday 1 June

13:30 Press conference with a player

17:00 Training (first 15 minutes open to the press)

Sunday 2 June

17:00 Training (closed)

Monday 3 June

13:30 Press conference with a player

17:00 Training (first 15 minutes open to the press)

Tuesday 4 June

10:30 Training (closed)

17:00 Training (closed)

 

Wednesday 5 June

10:30 Training (closed)

13:30 Press conference with a player

Thursday 6 June

(Squad of 23 to be confirmed by 24:00)

10:30 Training/ Friendly (open to accredited media)

Friday 7 June

16:00 Press conference with the Coach

17:00 Training (first 15 minutes open to the press)

Saturday 8 June

10:30 Training (closed)

13:00 Lunch

Training camp to end and players return home

 

Media information

For the preliminary camp in Formello, media accreditation will be granted to Odg/AIPS card holders. For the camp at Casteldebole from 10 June, media activities can be accessed by going through the UEFA Accreditations process.