Second training session for the National Team, who return to the pitch to prepare for the European qualifiers against North Macedonia and Ukraine. Yesterday at Coverciano, the Azzurri underwent their first session under the watchful eye of Luciano Spalletti: all 29 players called up by the new head coach, who will manage his first game for Italy in four days in Skopje. 

It’s not a debut, but rather a return for Manuel Locatelli, absent since the Nations League matches in June 2022 and eager to redeem himself after a season to forget, due to the difficulties encountered with the club: “At Juventus, we experienced a very complicated year, now the situation is better. I am energised after a bad year for me with the National Team - his words in the press conference - coming back here is always an honour and a joy, it’s a privilege to wear this jersey. Now there’s a new coach, and we all want to get to know him. Two important games await us and there’s a lot of energy and enthusiasm.” The first test comes on Saturday evening against Macedonia, which will evoke some bitter memories of the recent past: “It will be a difficult game, like all international games. They are strong on the second ball and we remember very well how it ended last time. We must not take anything for granted, we have to be careful with everything.”  

European champion, 24 appearances and 3 goals in the Azzurri shirt, the Bianconeri midfielder was dropped from the National Team last year after misunderstandings with the former coach: “He had certain ideas, I had others. Something broke. I must thank Mancini for the European Championship, we made history but now we must think about the future.” And the future answers to the name of Luciano Spalletti: “A great coach has joined us. He moved us with his speech, he touched on the importance of our attachment to the jersey. There must be enthusiasm in wearing it, it can never be a burden.” The coach pointed him out as one of the possible Registas for the team: 'That is one of the most crucial roles, you have a lot of responsibility and you have to be good at keeping the team’s rhythm. It is a role I can do, I also played there during my first year at Juventus, playing quite a few games. For me on the pitch it is important to get a lot of touches on the ball, I have to learn to finish more often.” 

Locatelli has had to grow quickly, becoming a father to little Theo last March. Nothing can change you more than the birth of a son: “I learnt a lot, to never take anything for granted. You win everything through work and determination. Becoming a parent is the greatest joy there is in life, the arrival of a child makes you see things in a different way.” 

The Squad

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint Germain), Alex Meret (Napoli), Ivan Provedel (Lazio), Guglielmo Vicario (Tottenham);
Defenders: Alessandro Bastoni (Inter), Cristiano Biraghi (Fiorentina), Nicolò Casale (Lazio), Matteo Darmian (Inter), Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli), Federico Dimarco (Inter), Gianluca Mancini (Roma), Alessio Romagnoli (Lazio), Giorgio Scalvini (Atalanta), Leonardo Spinazzola (Roma);
Midfielders: Nicolò Barella (Inter), Bryan Cristante (Roma), Davide Frattesi (Inter), Manuel Locatelli (Juventus), Lorenzo Pellegrini (Roma), Matteo Pessina (Monza), Sandro Tonali (Newcastle);
Attackers: Federico Chiesa (Juventus), Wilfried Gnonto (Leeds), Ciro Immobile (Lazio), Matteo Politano (Napoli), Giacomo Raspadori (Napoli), Mateo Retegui (Genoa), Mattia Zaccagni (Lazio), Nicolò Zaniolo (Aston Villa).