They are the two kings of Europe, with five U21 EUROs titles each. Italy were on top in the 90s and the 00s, with their most recent victory in 2004, whereas the Rojita have won three of the last seven editions, losing to England two years ago in the final. After qualifying for the quarter-finals with a game to spare, tomorrow at the Anton Malatinsky Stadium in Trnava, Italy and Spain will compete for first place in Group A. Spain are the team with most goals scored (five, compared to the Azzurrini’s two) so they only need a draw, whereas Italy need to take all three points to fly into the quarter-finals in first place, which will also take place in Trnava. The second-place team will have to head to Dunajska Streda for their quarter-final. The opponents will probably be one of Germany or England, and they are both tough sides. Italy have never managed to win all three group games, which is extra motivation to write another piece of history.

NUNZIATA’S WORDS. “We will play the match like we always have done, trying to win it to top the group. Then we will see if we come first or second and know what team we will be facing in the quarters”. With the third game in seven days, surely you will make some changes and give some of the players with less minutes a chance to prove themselves: “I will definitely make some changes as we have four cautioned players (Fabbian, Koleosho, Ndour and Zanotti) and some that have played both matches need to rest. Seeing as we have the chance to top the group, we need to manage these things, also because all of the 23 boys that I have here are great players. The best side will without a doubt play.”

Tomorrow, the team with the second most shots on goals in this EUROs campaign (Spain with 17, behind the Netherlands on 18) will face the team with the least shots on goals faced (4). Alongside Portugal, Italy are the only side to have not yet conceded: “Every game is part of the story. We know Spain’s qualities and their strength in attack. We want to have a great game”

BEST OF LUCK TO GATTUSO. Yesterday, it was announced that Italy’s new First Team Head Coach will be Gennaro Gattuso: “Best of luck to the new boss, it won’t be easy but I’m sure he will do great things. I haven’t spoken to him yet, they told me he might come to watch some of the games here in Slovakia. I would like this a lot. Over the past few years there has been a lot of work done together by the first team and the U21s, I think it will continue this way.”

FAZZINI. Tomorrow, Jacopo Fazzini could make his EUROs debut after recovering from an injury that put a question mark over him for the first match against Romania. “Physically I am well, I have been training and I want to play. I am available and I hope to feature. We want to top the group to keep what we have been doing going. Spain is a great team, but we are strong too and we have the qualities to win”.

The Tuscan talent, fresh off relegation with Empoli, is liked by many teams, but now his only concern is Italy. “I am sad how the league finished, we started well and we could have reached our goal. It was a unique season, hampered by injuries, not only me but also my teammates. However, now I am fully focused on Italy, on the EUROs and what we have to do here. Representing my country is special, and we want to make it right to the end”. The last challenge is the Spanish opposition, who at 20 years old have a lot of appearances in the league and European cups: “In Italy, there is the quality, and many get to really high levels. We need to let young players make mistakes when they play, in Spain I think they are braver than us.”

SQUAD LIST

Goalkeepers: 1 Sebastiano Desplanches (Palermo), 22 Jacopo Sassi (Crotone), 12 Gioele Zacchi (Latina);

Defenders: 15 Diego Coppola (Hellas Verona), 6 Daniele Ghilardi (Hellas Verona), 19 Gabriele Guarino (Carrarese), 13 Michael Kayode (Brentford), 5 Lorenzo Pirola (Olympiacos), 3 Matteo Ruggeri (Atalanta), 16 Riccardo Turicchia (Juventus), 2 Mattia Zanotti (Lugano);

Midfielders: 23 Alessandro Bianco (Monza), 8 Cesare Casadei (Torino), 18 Issa Doumbia (Venezia), 14 Giovanni Fabbian (Bologna), 21 Jacopo Fazzini (Empoli), 7 Cher Ndour (Fiorentina), 20 Niccolò Pisilli (Roma), 4 Matteo Prati (Cagliari);

Forwards: 9 Giuseppe Ambrosino (Frosinone), 11 Tommaso Baldanzi (Roma), 10 Wilfried Gnonto (Leeds United), 17 Luca Koleosho (Burnley).

Staff – Head Coach: Carmine Nunziata; Delegation Head: Giancarlo Antognoni; Coordinator of Men’s National Youth Teams: Maurizio Viscidi; Team Manager: Gianfranco Serioli; Assistant Coaches: Matteo Brighi and Christian Maggio; Fitness Coaches: Vito Azzone and Luca Coppari; Goalkeeping Coaches: Fabrizio Ferron; Match Analyst: Gianluca Mazziotti; Doctors: Daniele Mazza and Vincenzo Santoriello; Nutritionist. Maria Luisa Cravana; Physiotherapists: Tommaso Cannata, Giuliano Gepponi and Nicola Sanna; Secretary: Manfredi Martino.

CALENDAR, RESULTS AND STANDINGS, GROUP A

MATCHDAY 1 (11 JUNE)

Slovakia 2-3 Spain
Italy 1-0 Romania

MATCHDAY 2 (14 JUNE)

Spain 2-1 Romania
Slovakia 0-1 Italy

Standings: Spain and Italy 6 points, Slovakia and Romania 0

MATCHDAY 3 (17 JUNE)

21:00 CEST – Spain vs. Italy (Trnava)
21:00 CEST – Romania vs. Slovakia (Bratislava)

*The top two teams from each group progress to the quarter-finals