A month on from the debatable loss in the final of the Mediterranean Games against France, earning them a medal which should have been a more precious medal, the U18 side returns to the field for the first friendly of the new season.

The Azzurrini will get back together on Sunday at the Olympic Preparation Centre in Tirrenia before travelling to Coverciano, where on Thursday 11 August (10:30 CEST) they will play Albania’s youth side. As a precursor to the Azzurrini game, the Italian and Albanian U19 sides will also play each other the day before at Coverciano. Daniele Franceschini remains in charge of the Under 18s, selecting the 26 young Italians to represent their country.

Squad list

Goalkeepers: Francesco Borriello (Parma), Federico Magro (Lazio), Alessandro Calligaris (Inter):
Defenders: Michele Casali (Milan), Luigi D’Avino (Napoli), Giovanni D’Aprile (Crotone), Lorenzo Romani (Fiorentina), Davide Bartesaghi (Milan), Saverio Domanico (Juventus), Nicolò Serra (Torino), Alessandro Milani (Lazio), Mattia Malaspina (Milan);
Midfielders: Diego Ripani (Juventus), Lorenzo Graziani (Roma), Lorenzo Anghele (Juventus), Luca Di Maggio (Inter), Luca Lipani (Genoa), Fabio Parravicini (SPAL), Daniele Quieto (Inter), Antonio Troise (Lazio), Kevin Bruno (Sassuolo);
Forwards: Francesco Presta (Fiorentina), Alessandro Bolzan (Roma), Alessio Vacca (Juventus), Marco Delle Monache (Pescara), Francesco Pio Esposito (Inter).