After an exciting Nations League campaign, the National Women's Team are ready to begin their Euro 2025 qualifying campaign, with the finals set to be played in Switzerland in July 2025. The Azzurre will meet up on Sunday at Coverciano to prepare for the first two matches of Group 1 in League A: the opener is against the Netherlands at the stadio San Vito-Gigi Marulla in Cosenza on Friday 5 April (18:15 CEST, live on Rai 2), followed up by a trip to Helsinki to face Finland on Tuesday 9 (18:15 CEST, live on Rai 2).

“It's a very stimulating campaign” in a “tough and passable” group, as Andrea Soncin defined it, aware that to reach the 14th edition of the tournament and avoid a play-off, his Italy side will have to finish at least second, knowing that favourites Norway are placed in the group, too. For the two games in April, the head coach has decided to choose 28 players: Chiara Beccari, who had missed the February friendlies against Ireland and England due to injury, is back in the squad. The big news is Margot Shore, a goalkeeper born in '97 who is having an excellent season in Serie B with Hellas Verona. The group will train at Coverciano until Thursday 4 April and following the game with the Oranje they will return to the Federal Technical Centre, where they will continue preparations until their departure for Finland, scheduled for Sunday 7 April in the afternoon.

THE OPPOSITION. The Azzurre have already played in Cosenza, in 1996, where they beat England 2-1 (goals from Antonella Carta and Carolina Morace) in a qualifier for the following year's European Championships, finishing in second place. At the stadio San Vito-Gigi Marulla, it will be the 19th match against the Netherlands, European champions in 2017, finalists at the 2019 World Cup - beating Milena Bertolini's side in the quarter-finals - and fresh from the Finals of Nations League. The head-to-head record is on Italy's side, who have beaten the Dutch side nine times compared to their four victories. After a 19-year drought, the last match played in 2021, a friendly, was decided by Cristiana Girelli's penalty.

Italy's record against Finland is also positive: six of the twelve matches played - including the last three - have ended in a draw, with five wins for the Italians and only one defeat. Instead, two matches have been played in Helsinki: the first in 2009 was a friendly that finished 3-2 in favour of the Scandinavians, and the second in the European Championship of the same year against Russia, winning 2-0 with goals from Melania Gabbiadini and Tatiana Zorri.

KOMEN ITALIA INITIATIVE. Thanks to the collaboration with the FIGC, the mobile units of the Komen Italia Prevention Caravan will be in Calabria in order to ensure women have access to effective and fair opportunities for protecting their health. On Thursday 4 and Friday 5 April, Komen Italia will be in Cosenza to offer specialist visits for the prevention of breast cancer reserved for women outside regional screening and, in particular, mammograms for women aged between 40 and 49 and over 70s, and breast ultrasound scans for women under 40.

TICKET OFFICE. Tickets for the match against the Netherlands are on sale at authorised Vivaticket agencies and online at figc.vivaticket.it and vivaticket.com. They cost €14 (main stand) and €5 euros (opposite stand). There is also a reduced price for Under 18s and Over 65s, who will be able to watch the match in the Distinti sector for just €1.

Squad List

Goalkeepers: Rachele Baldi (Fiorentina), Laura Giuliani (Milan), Katja Schroffenegger (Fiorentina), Margot Shore (Hellas Verona);

Defenders: Elisa Bartoli (Roma), Valentina Bergamaschi (Milan), Lisa Boattin (Juventus), Lucia Di Guglielmo (Roma), 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), Manuela Giugliano (Roma), Giada Greggi (Roma), Emma Severini (Fiorentina);

Forwards: Chiara Beccari (Sassuolo), Barbara Bonansea (Juventus), Agnese Bonfantini (Inter), Michela Cambiaghi (Inter), Sofia Cantore (Juventus), Valentina Giacinti (Roma), Cristiana Girelli (Juventus), Martina Piemonte (Everton), Annamaria Serturini (Inter).