After sealing qualification for the European Championships in June, the Under-21 side start their season with friendlies against England and Japan. The Adriatico-Giovanni Cornacchia stadium in Pescara will host the game with England on Thursday 22 September, with the test against Japan set to be played at the Teofilo Patini stadium in Castel di Sangro on Monday 26 September.

Head Coach Paolo Nicolato has called up 28 players, who will meet up on Sunday evening at Castel di Sangro. Five players have received their first-ever call-up for the Under-21s: Goalkeeper Elia Caprile (Bari), defenders Giorgio Cittadini (Modena), Matteo Ruggeri (Atalanta) and Alessandro Circati (Parma), and forward Luca Moro (Frosinone).

The Azzurrini have never been defeated playing in Pescara (four wins and a draw) and Castel di Sangro (five successes and one draw) and have a slight advantage over England in the head-head meetings with eight wins, seven draws and six defeats. The only previous encounter with Japan was on 15 August 2004 when the young Italians won 3-2 courtesy of a double from Alberto Gilardino and one from Daniele de Rossi in the Olympic Games, where Italy finished in their spot taking a bronze medal.

With the 2022 Political Elections, scheduled for Sunday 25 September, taking place at the same time as the Under-21 camp, the procedure for allowing players and staff to vote will be evaluated in the coming days, while guaranteeing their participation in the match on 26 September against Japan.

The current regulations do not allow votes to be made outside of the place of residence for people who are temporarily in another location, with the exception for strictly limited categories of people. The team programme, therefore, may be subject to change between Saturday 24 and Sunday 25, which will be clarified shortly.

The Squad List

Goalkeepers: Elia Caprile (Bari), Alessandro Plizzari (Pescara), Alessandro Sorrentino (Monza) Stefano Turati (Frosinone);
Defenders: Raoul Bellanova (Inter), Andrea Cambiaso (Bologna), Simone Canestrelli (Pisa), Alessandro Circati (Parma), Giorgio Cittadini (Modena), Caleb Okoli (Atalanta), Fabiano Parisi (Empoli), Lorenzo Pirola (Salernitana), Matteo Ruggeri (Atalanta), Giorgio Scalvini (Atalanta), Mattia Viti (OGC Nice), Destiny Iyenoma Udogie (Udinese);
Midfielders: Edoardo Bove (Roma), Salvatore Esposito (SPAL), Nicolò Fagioli (Juventus), Fabio Miretti (Juventus), Filippo Ranocchia (Monza), Nicolò Rovella (Monza), Emanuel Vignato (Bologna);
Forwards: Nicolò Cambiaghi (Empoli), Lorenzo Colombo (Lecce), Sebastiano Esposito (Anderlecht), Luca Moro (Frosinone), Pietro Pellegri (Torino).