A six-pointer awaits. Following three wins from three in European qualifying, Italy sit one point behind Sweden, who, however, have played one game more. At 17:30 CEST tomorrow, the Azzurrini will face the Swedes in Monza and thus have the chance to pick up the pace and start to take control of the group. Paolo Nicolato’s men will be looking to make the most of home advantage.

“I expect a good quality match against a side that will force us to dig in,” said the Head Coach on the eve of the game. “It won’t be a one-sided affair, and we’ll need to attack well and interpret the moments of the game. These are matches that make you grow, as was the case in the last quarter of an hour against Bosnia. Nothing is ever a foregone conclusion. Among other things, Sweden are a very physical side with two or three really high-quality individuals. They’re not a team you’d expect spectacular things from, but they know how to do the simple things well.”

Following the match against Bosnia, Nicolato highlighted the positive performance from his side. However, he also said that he expected to see more ruthlessness and determination in the future: “Our objective is to be consistent. I hope the lads have recovered and are able to produce a big performance. It was difficult to be competitive a year ago, but now were more ready. Many of these lads are playing on a continuous basis for their clubs, and this is vital.”

The Head Coach has a lot of confidence in his group: “It’s a very young team, which is something that must be highlighted. We know how to interpret match situations well and deal with mistakes, with difficulties being opportunities to improve. I like this team, and although this doesn’t guarantee results, there’s a good atmosphere and approach to our work. We hope there will be a healthy crowd at the game tomorrow, even if the kick-off time isn’t ideal. Sport thrives off emotions, and it’s nice to share them with fans.”

Nicolato is remaining very calm despite the important nature of the game: “The teams in the running to qualify are ourselves, Sweden and Ireland. All six-pointers are important, and we need to play with the aim of winning our matches. There are obstacles for everyone, and we can’t let our guard down.”

Nicolato has lost two players for the upcoming showdown: FC Basel striker Sebastiano Esposito left the camp this morning after taking a knock to his left ankle, while Empoli midfielder Samuele Ricci was also forced to return to his club side yesterday due to a muscle problem he picked up against Bosnia.

The Head Coach will stick with a 4-3-3 formation and isn’t planning on making many changes because “continuity can’t be gained if things are constantly changed. Our 4-3-3 system is an atypical one which allows me to send out the players who are most prepared. Previously, I needed to see as many players as possible, but now we’re in a different phase where we’ve reached a certain level of balance. I think it’s right to go in this direction.”

Squad list

Goalkeepers: Semuel Pizzignacco (Vicenza), Alessandro Russo (Alessandria), Stefano Turati (Reggina);

Defenders: Raoul Bellanova (Cagliari), Riccardo Calafiori (Roma), Andrea Cambiaso (Genoa), Simone Canestrelli (Crotone), Andrea Carboni (Cagliari), Gabriele Ferrarini (Perugia), Matteo Lovato (Atalanta), Kaleb Okoli (Cremonese), Lorenzo Pirola (Monza), Iyenoma Destiny Udogie (Udinese);

Midfielders: Marco Brescianini (Monza), Salvatore Esposito (Spal), Nicolò Fagioli (Cremonese), Filippo Ranocchia (Vicenza), Nicolò Rovella (Genoa), Sandro Tonali (Milan);

Forwards: Matteo Cancellieri (Hellas Verona), Lorenzo Colombo (Spal), Lorenzo Lucca (Pisa), Samuele Mulattieri (Crotone), Roberto Piccoli (Atalanta), Emanuel Vignato (Bologna).

Schedule

Monday 11 October 2021

10:30 Training (behind closed doors)

14:00 Press conference – Head Coach Nicolato (RAI in attendance, otherwise broadcast via zoom)

16:00 Departure for hotel in Monza area

19:00 Visit to Stadio Brianteo in Monza

Tuesday 12 October 2021

09:30 Exclusive RAI interview – Nicolato

10:30 Muscle workout

12:40 Technical meeting

17:30 Stadio Brianteo

ITALY VS. SWEDEN

Post-match press conference to follow (RAI in attendance, otherwise broadcast via zoom) and subsequent return to respective clubs