After their win against Estonia on Wednesday evening, the Azzurri are ready to resume their UEFA Nations League journey: Italy have two games against Poland and Bosnia & Herzegovina coming up, and they’ll be taking place on Sunday 15 November at the Mapei Stadium – Città del Tricolore and on Wednesday 18 November at the Grbavica Stadium in Sarajevo (both 20:45 CET kick-offs) respectively.

One month on from the match in Gdańsk, Italy, who are beset by injuries and problems relating to COVID-19, are set to meet Poland again. After their two draws against the Poles and the Netherlands in October, the Azzurri currently sit in second place in League A Group 1. In the final two matches, a place in the Final Four will be up for grabs. “When you come up against Poland, it’s always difficult,” said Emerson Palmieri in a press conference today. “We played well in Gdańsk and did everything we could to win, but unfortunately we weren’t able to do so. We also did well against the Netherlands and were just missing that second goal. It’ll be a difficult game on Sunday, but we’ll be playing at home and will do all that we can to win.”

The game will take place at the Mapei Stadium – Città del Tricolore, a stadium where the Azzurri have emerged victorious in each of their two previous matches there. “It’s not an easy period for any of us,” Emerson said. “This season is a bit different from past ones. Unfortunately, our Coach is self-isolating at home, but those of us who are here must do all that we can for those who can’t be. We’re on the right track and are playing a modern possession-based and aggressive style of football. It’s an offensive way of playing and we all enjoy it, with the results there for all to see. I’m having fun here and I feel good”.

The Azzurri will train in the afternoon. Pietro Pellegri has been forced to withdraw and has returned to his club.

Squad list

Goalkeepers: Alessio Cragno (Cagliari), Gianluigi Donnarumma (Milan), Alex Meret (Napoli), Salvatore Sirigu (Torino);
Defenders: Francesco Acerbi (Lazio), Alessandro Bastoni (Inter), Cristiano Biraghi (Fiorentina)**, Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Davide Calabria (Milan), Danilo D’Ambrosio (Inter), Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli), Emerson Palmieri Dos Santos (Chelsea), Gian Marco Ferrari (Sassuolo), Alessandro Florenzi (Paris Saint-Germain), Luca Pellegrini (Genoa), Alessio Romagnoli (Milan);
Midfielders: Nicolò Barella (Inter), Gaetano Castrovilli (Fiorentina)**, Roberto Gagliardini (Inter), Frello Jorge Luiz Jorginho (Chelsea), Manuel Locatelli (Sassuolo), Matteo Pessina (Atalanta), Roberto Soriano (Bologna), Sandro Tonali (Milan);
Forwards: Andrea Belotti (Torino), Domenico Berardi (Sassuolo), Federico Bernardeschi (Juventus), Federico Chiesa (Juventus)*, Stephan El Shaarawy (Shanghai Shenua), Ciro Immobile (Lazio)**, Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli), Moise Bioty Kean (Paris Saint-Germain), Kevin Lasagna (Udinese), Riccardo Orsolini (Bologna).

* Time of arrival TBC
** will only join up with the squad after receiving permission from the relevant health authorities

Schedule (all times CET)

Friday 13 November
13:45 – Press event (players) in the auditorium of the Federal Technical Centre in Coverciano

16:00 – Training (behind closed doors) at the Federal Technical Centre in Coverciano

Saturday 14 November
11:30 – Journey from Florence to Reggio Emilia
16:30 – Poland press conference at the Stadio Città del Tricolore in Reggio Emilia
17:00 – Poland training session (media access for the first 15 minutes) at the Stadio Città del Tricolore in Reggio Emilia
18:00 – Italy press conference at the Stadio Città del Tricolore in Reggio Emilia
18:30 – Italy training session (media access for the first 15 minutes) at the Stadio Città del Tricolore in Reggio Emilia

Sunday 15 November
20:45 – ITALY vs. Poland (post-match press event and subsequent return to the Federal Technical Centre in Coverciano

Monday 16 November
16:30 – Training session (behind closed doors) at the Federal Technical Centre in Coverciano

Tuesday 17 November
10:45 – Journey from Florence to Sarajevo
16:30 – Bosnia & Herzegovina press conference at the Grbavica Stadium in Sarajevo
17:00 –Bosnia & Herzegovina training session (media access for the first 15 minutes) at the Grbavica Stadium in Sarajevo
17:30 – Italy press conference at the Grbavica Stadium in Sarajevo
18:00 – Italy training session (media access for the first 15 minutes) at the Grbavica Stadium in Sarajevo

Wednesday 18 November
20:45 – Bosnia & Herzegovina vs. ITALY post-match press event and subsequent return to Italy