Ten years on from the match played against Armenia in October 2013, the national team is back in Naples, where tomorrow evening (8:45 CET, referee is Serbian Jovanovic) in a packed 'Diego Armando Maradona' stadium they will face England in the first match of the EURO 2024 qualifiers. It will be a fascinating clash, recalling the sweet memory of the Wembley final and with Italy unbeaten in their last six games (four wins and two draws), in what is so far their longest unbeaten streak against the English. However, the side led by Gareth Southgate is still a respectable opponent and full of stars, from the timeless Harry Kane to the young but already experienced Foden, Saka and Bellingham: "England - confirms Roberto Mancini in the press conference - are one of the best teams in the world, they have extraordinary players. It will be a very difficult match for both teams, we will try to play our game. We will try to attack, to be offensive". It will also be the first game for the national side without Gianluca Vialli: "He left behind an incredible legacy, which we must honour.”

On the formation that he will use, the coach does not give much away, although he confirms that the 4-3-3 is the most suitable style for the national team: "We have played with a different formation in the Nations League matches (3-5-2), it could also be changed. But in the 4-3-3 we feel comfortable, especially to play a very proactive game".

Without Immobile and Raspadori, one of Scamacca, Gnonto and Retegui will probably lead the attack. There is great hope especially for the Tigre striker, who could make his national team debut tomorrow: 'He is a classic centre forward, I see that many compare him to Denis, he reminds me of Batistuta when he arrived in Italy. Clearly he is a young guy and needs time, but I don't think he will take long to settle in'.

Mancini, who together with the federal president Gabriele Gravina and Verratti received a plaque with the medal of the city of Naples from the mayor Gaetano Manfredi, trusts in the support of the 'Maradona': "When the National team came to Naples it has always always helped by the crowd, they will support us tomorrow as well". The objective is obviously to get points on the board immediately to make the road to EURO 2024 as straightforward as possible: "We went from a great feeling like winning the European Championship to a great disappointment in not qualifying for the World Cup. But during all this we qualified twice for the Nations League Finals. Now we start again, we want to qualify, win the Nations League and then play the European Championship at our best as defending champions."

Alongside Mancini in the press room of the 'Maradona' was Marco Verratti: "Naples is a great city, the team is doing very well in the league and in the Champions League, it is the right time to come here. A very important game awaits us against a great national team, we want to show what we have prepared and put in a great performance."

Impressed by 17 year old Simone Pafundi (“you can immediately see the quality he has, if he continues like this he will have a great career') and new man Retegui (“I'm sure he will give us a big hand”), Verratti is unfazed by the criticism he suffered after being eliminated with Paris Saint Germain in the Champions League round of 16: “Criticism is part of football, I'm 30 years old and my shoulders are broad. A return to Italy? Who knows, maybe in the future, but for now I'm happy in Paris. I dream of winning the Champions League with PSG and I will try as long as I am given the chance.”

MANY FORMER NAPOLI PLAYERS IN THE STANDS. Tomorrow, several players who have worn the Napoli shirt are expected in the stands: Fernando De Napoli, Morgan De Sanctis, Emanuele Giaccherini (all three ‘Azzurri Legends'), Giuseppe Bruscolotti, the Brazilian Canè and Raffaele Di Fusco. A group of participants in the social projects of the FIGC Youth and Scholastic Sector with the Scholas Occurrentes Pontifical Foundation is also expected to be present at the 'Maradona': a group of teachers and children involved in 'Pelota de Trapo' in the Sanità and Scampia neighbourhoods, and some youngsters from the Nisida juvenile institute involved in the 'Zona Luce' project, which involves prison police operators, juvenile prison inmates and sports collaborators. And to see Italy vs. England there will also be 2000 members from the Neapolitan football clubs.

The squad

Goalkeepers: Marco Carnesecchi (Cremonese), Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint Germain), Wladimiro Falcone (Lecce), Alex Meret (Napoli);
Defenders: Francesco Acerbi (Inter), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Alessandro Buongiorno (Torino), Matteo Darmian (Inter), Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli), Emerson Palmieri (West Ham), Alessio Romagnoli (Lazio), Giorgio Scalvini (Atalanta), Leonardo Spinazzola (Roma), Rafael Toloi (Atalanta);
Midfielders: Nicolò Barella (Inter), Bryan Cristante (Roma), Davide Frattesi (Sassuolo), Jorginho (Arsenal), Lorenzo Pellegrini (Roma), Matteo Pessina (Monza), Sandro Tonali (Milan), Marco Verratti (Paris Saint Germain);
Attackers: Domenico Berardi (Sassuolo), Wilfried Gnonto (Leeds), Vincenzo Grifo (Freiburg), Simone Pafundi (Udinese), Matteo Politano (Napoli), Mateo Retegui (Club Atletico Tigre), Gianluca Scamacca (West Ham).