With eight days to go until the departure for Malta, where on Monday 3 July the national Under 19s will play their opener against the hosts in the group stage of the European Championship, Alberto Bollini has called up 27 players for the last camp before the start of the continental tournament: the boys are all born in 2004 except for Fabio Chiarodia (Werder Bremen), Francesco Pio Esposito (Inter) and Luca Lipani (Genoa) who are from 2005. The latter two, together with Niccolò Pisilli and Giacomo Faticanti of Roma, came runners up in the U20 World Cup, as they were part of the recent trip to Argentina, which ended in second place behind Uruguay.

The camp will take place in Coverciano starting on Monday 26th and will end on 29th June, the day on which, after the final selection, the list of the 20 players called up for the final stages of the European Championships will be announced. The departure for Malta is scheduled for the following day, Friday 30 July. The Azzurrini have been included in group A together with Malta (Monday 3rd July at 21:00 CEST), Portugal (Thursday 6th July at 18:00 CEST) and Poland (Sunday 9th July at 18:00 CEST): the three matches will be played at the National Stadium in Tà Qali. The other group, Group B, consists of Iceland, Greece, Norway and Spain. The first two from each group qualify directly for the semi-finals scheduled for Thursday, 13 July; the final will be played on Sunday 16 July.

Italy's matches will be broadcast live by Rai Sport.

The squad

Goalkeepers: Nicola Bagnolini (Bologna), Davide Mastrantonio (Triestina), Lorenzo Palmisani (Frosinone);
Defenders: Christian Biagetti (Fiorentina), Andrea Bozzolan (AC Milan), Fabio Christian Chiarodia (Werder Bremen), Alessandro Dellavalle (Torino), Lorenzo Dellavalle (Juventus), Michael Olabode Kayode (Fiorentina), Filippo Missori (Roma), Iacopo Regonesi (Atalanta), Riccardo Stivanello (Bologna);
Midfielders: Lorenzo Amatucci (Fiorentina), Giacomo Faticanti (Roma), Luis Hasa (Juventus), Lorenzo Ignacchiti (Empoli), Luca Lipani (Genoa), Cher Ndour (Benfica), Riccardo Pagano (Roma), Niccolò Pisilli (Roma);
Attackers: Luigi Cherubini (Roma), Luca D'Andrea (Sassuolo), Francesco Pio Esposito (Inter), Luca Warrick Daeovie Koleosho (Espanyol), Antonio Raimondo (Bologna), Nicolò Turco (Juventus), Samuele Vignato (Monza).

Coach: Alberto Bollini