Three months after losing the semi-final against England, that didn't stop the team from qualifying for the Under-20 World Cup, the Under-19 side is ready to start another adventure as the European Championship qualifying campaign draws ever nearer. From 21 to 27 September, they will be off to Poland to take part in the first phase of qualifying.

Leading the side will be Alberto Bollini, who has taken over from Carmine Nunziata, now with the Under-20 side that has reached the World Cup. The newly-appointed Head Coach, who started off his reign with a 3-0 friendly win over Albania, has called up 26 players (22 players born in 2004 and Chiarodia, Saiani, Di Maggio and Lipani from the 2005 group) for the training camp at the Olympic Preparation Centre in Tirrenia, starting on Wednesday evening. On Sunday, the squad will be cut down to 20 players who will officially take part in the first phase of the tournament.

Placed in Group 5, Italy will depart for Poland on Monday 19 September and play their opening game against Estonia in Rumia on Wednesday 21 at 12:00 CEST. They will then face Bosnia and Herzegovina on Saturday 24 at 12:00 CEST, again in Rumia, before finishing off with the hosts Poland in Gdynia on Tuesday 27 at 14:00 CEST. The top two will, alongside the best-third placed team out of all the groups, will go through to the Elite stages. 

The Squad List

Goalkeepers: Nicola Bagnolini (Bologna), Davide Mastrantonio (Triestina), Simone Scaglia (Juventus);

Defenders: Andrea Bozzolan (Milan), Fabio Cristian Chiarodia (Werder Bremen), Lorenzo Dellavalle (Juventus), Costantino Favasuli (Fiorentina), Michael Olabode Kayode (Fiorentina), Filippo Missori (Roma), Iacopo Regonesi (Atalanta), Filippo Saiani (SPAL), Riccardo Stivanello (Bologna), *Samuele Vignato (Monza);

Midfielders: Federico Accornero (Genoa), Lorenzo Amatucci (Fiorentina), Luca Di Maggio (Inter), Giacomo Faticanti (Roma), Luis Hasa (Juventus), Lorenzo Ignacchiti (Empoli), Justin Kumi (Sassuolo), Luca Lipani (Genoa), Niccolò Pisilli (Roma);

Forwards: Luca D’Andrea (Sassuolo), Tommaso Mancini (Juventus), Antonio Raimondo (Bologna), Nicolò Turco (Juventus).

*called up to replace Gabriele Guarino (Empoli)

Staff – Head Coach: Alberto Bollini; Head of Delegation: Evaristo Beccalossi; National Youth team Coordinator: Maurizio Viscidi; Assistant Head Coach: Enrico Battisti; Goalkeeper Coach: Graziano Vinti; Fitness Coach: Marco Montini; Match analyst: Francesco Donzella; Doctors: Paolo Manetti, Sebastiano Porcino and Andrea Redler; Physiotherapist: Giuliano Gepponi and Tommaso Cannata; Nutritionist: Micol Purrotti; School Teacher: Alessio Cirulli; Secretary: Luca Gatto.

Group 5 schedule

Matchday 1 (21 September)

Ore 12: ITALY vs. Estonia (Rumia)
Ore 18: Poland vs. Bosnia ed Erzegovina (Gdynia)

Matchday 2 (24 September)

Ore 12: Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. ITALY (Rumia)
Ore 18: Poland vs. Estonia (Gdynia)

Matchday 3 (27 September)

Ore 14: Poland vs. ITALY (Gdynia)
Ore 14: Estonia vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina (Rumia)