Exactly 53 years after their continental triumph, in the same Stadium that witnessed the Azzurri conquer Europe, the Stadio Olimpico, Roberto Mancini arrived at the press room along with team captain Giorgio Chiellini to discuss the long-awaited start of UEFA Euro 2020. On 10 June 1968, beating Yugoslavia 2-0 in the replay of the final (the first match ended 1-1 and at the time there were no penalties in the event of a draw) the national team led by Ferruccio Valcareggi became champions of Europe for the first and so far only time in Azzurri history.

A new international adventure begins for Italy in the finals tomorrow evening, at 21:00 CEST against Turkey, five years after Euro 2016: “The time has come - remarked Mancini - to get back to giving satisfaction to our fans. What sort of night will it be on the eve? I hope to experience more sleepless ones later, in July, when the European Championship will have reached its final stages”.

“There is a great desire to relive a great competition as key contenders - affirmed Giorgio Chiellini - We were good at transforming the great disappointment of the playoff against Sweden into enthusiasm. It’s a strong feeling that not only pervades us players and staff, but also all the fans: we can't wait to take to the pitch and experience these emotions all together”.

Coach Roberto Mancini echoes the captain: "I was confident three years ago, when I came into the Italian dugout, and I’m even more so today: We have good players on our side, and we have created a good group. We’d like to continue having fun and we want to arrive in London for the last step of the competition: I’m very confident”.

The one negative note in the build-up to UEFA Euro 2020 which has been lived with enthusiasm and awareness of one's own means, however, is the injury that occurred yesterday to Lorenzo Pellegrini, officially replaced by Gaetano Castrovilli in the list of 26 after the UEFA gave the final OK: “I'm sorry - underlined the coach - because Pellegrini is an important player for our game, just as Sensi is: He too couldn’t make it. We are sorry for Lorenzo, as a player and as a person, and our wish, from all of us, is that he can recover quickly”.

Tomorrow the European Championship kicks off in an Olimpico that will finally be able to host spectators in the stands: “It will be impossible not to get excited. “It will be a difficult match on the pitch, like all of them” underlined Mancini, who then added: “Being the first to play brings more pressure, and we have maximum respect for Turkey because they have several talented players”.

But what will it take to do well and go all the way in this European Championship? "Light-heartedness, concentration, and a pinch of madness, which is the essential element to do something great" Chiellini commented.

After the press conference, the Azzurri will train on the pitch at the Olimpico. Midfielder Gaetano Castrovilli was also present with the group. Tomorrow it officially begins: The Italian adventure at UEFA Euro 2020.

 

UEFA Euro 2020 squad list and shirt numbers

Goalkeepers: 21 Gianluigi Donnarumma (Milan), 26 Alex Meret (Napoli), 1 Salvatore Sirigu (Torino);
Defenders: 15 Francesco Acerbi (Lazio), 23 Alessandro Bastoni (Inter), 19 Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), 3 Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), 2 Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli), 13 Emerson Palmieri (Chelsea), 24 Alessandro Florenzi (Paris Saint-Germain), 4 Leonardo Spinazzola (Roma), 25 Rafael Toloi (Atalanta);
Midfielders: 18 Nicolò Barella (Inter), 16 Bryan Cristante (Roma), 8 Frello Jorge Luiz Jorginho (Chelsea), 5 Manuel Locatelli (Sassuolo), 7 Gaetano Castrovilli (Fiorentina), 12 Matteo Pessina (Atalanta), 6 Marco Verratti (Paris Saint-Germain);
Forwards: 9 Andrea Belotti (Torino), 11 Domenico Berardi (Sassuolo), 20 Federico Bernardeschi (Juventus), 14 Federico Chiesa (Juventus), 17 Ciro Immobile (Lazio), 10 Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli), 22 Giacomo Raspadori (Sassuolo).

 

 

Itinerary (all times CEST) 

Friday 11 June
*11:00 – Training at the Olympic Centre Giulio Onesti (behind closed doors)
21:00 – Italy vs. Turkey at the Stadio Olimpico. Press conference/media duties after full-time.

Saturday 12 June
*17:00 – Training (behind closed doors)

Sunday 13 June
** 14:00 – Players meet media
*17:00 – Training (behind closed doors)

Monday 14 June
** 14:00 – Players meet media
*17:00 – Training (behind closed doors)

Tuesday 15 June
11:00 – Transfer Florence-Rome
**16:45 – Press conference, Coach + 1 player at Hotel Parco dei Principi
*19:15 – Training at the Olympic Center Giulio Onesti (behind closed doors except first 15 mins)

Wednesday 16 June
21:00 – Italy vs. Switzerland at the Stadio Olimpico. Press conference/media duties after full-time. 

Thursday 17 June
*17:00 – Training (behind closed doors)

Friday 18 June
** 14:00 – Players meet media
*17:00 – Training (behind closed doors)

Saturday 19 June
11:00 – Transfer Florence-Rome
**16:45 – Press conference, Coach + 1 player at Hotel Parco dei Principi
*19:15 – Training at the Olympic Center Giulio Onesti (behind closed doors except for first 15 mins)

Sunday 20 June
18:00 – Italy vs. Wales at the Stadio Olimpico. Press conference/media duties after full-time. 

N.B. Timetables are subject to possible change
* photos will be taken and shared by FIGC 
**media access will be limited to reduced numbers

Press conference photo credits: UEFA