After their two September friendly games against England and Japan, the Under-21 side are back in action with a friendly against Germany at stadio Del Conero in Ancona on Saturday 19 November (kick-off at 17.30 CET, live on Rai2), as they build up their preparations for the Euros next summer in Romania and Georgia. In the meantime, the Azzurrini have learnt their opponents for that competition, after being drawn out in a group with Normway, Switzerland and France.

Head Coach Paolo Nicolato has called up 25 players who will all meet up in Cesenatico on Sunday 13 November, in the evening. The following day, preparations for the match will start in San Mauro Pascolo, before heading off to Ancona on Thursday 17. Three players will join up with the squad for the first time: midfielders Cesare Casadei (Chelsea) and Franco Tongya (Odense), and forward Cristian Volpato (Roma). Of note among the forward players to be named is the return of Matteo Cancellieri (Lazio) and Lorenzo Lucca (Ajax), who have both been missing from the squad list since March. Cremonese goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi is also back and available again after recently returning from a shoulder injury.

Italy and Germany have met nine times previously at Under-21 level, with two Azzurrini wins, (the last one being a 1-0 win in the 2017 Euros with a goal by Bernardeschi), three draws and four German wins. To these, there were also three games played out between Italy and East Germany, with Italy winning twice and getting a draw in the other game. The last meeting between the two sides was on 19 November four years ago in Reggio Emilia, with Germany winning 2-1 in a friendly match, with Parigini grabbing Italy's goal.

The under 21s return to play in Ancona after 14 years, with the last game being a 0-0 draw against Israel in a play-off game for qualification to the European Championships, played on 11 October 2008, with Pierluigi Casiraghi in charge.

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Squad List
Goalkeepers: Elia Caprile (Bari), Marco Carnesecchi (Cremonese), Stefano Turati (Frosinone);
Defenders: Raoul Bellanova (Inter), Andrea Cambiaso (Bologna), Giorgio Cittadini (Modena), Caleb Okoli (Atalanta), Fabiano Parisi (Empoli), Lorenzo Pirola (Salernitana), Giacomo Quagliata (Cremonese), Matteo Ruggeri (Atalanta), Mattia Viti (OGC Nice);
Midfielders: Edoardo Bove (Roma), Cesare Casadei (Chelsea), Salvatore Esposito (SPAL), Filippo Ranocchia (Monza), Nicolò Rovella (Monza), Franco Tongya (Odense);
Forwards: Nicolò Cambiaghi (Empoli), Matteo Cancellieri (Lazio), Lorenzo Colombo (Lecce), Lorenzo Lucca (Ajax), Pietro Pellegri (Torino), Emanuel Vignato (Bologna), Cristian Volpato (Roma).