Milena Bertolini has been confirmed as Coach of the Women’s National Team. The Coach has renewed her contract with FIGC for a further two years and is preparing for the new season ahead with great enthusiasm, especially considering the success of her team in recent years: “It gives me great pleasure to be able to continue on this journey,” said Bertolini, “and to be here for two more years in order to continue with the work I’ve started and to help contribute even more to the growth of women’s football in Italy.”

This enthusiasm is shared by FIGC President Gabriele Gravina, who said the following: “I’m really pleased, this extension comes in recognition of Bertolini’s great work thus far. She certainly shares the Federation’s desire to continue what we’ve started and help to aid the development of women’s football.”

After a great showing in the World Cup in France, the Women’s National Team met today at Coverciano for the start of their path to qualification for the European Championship which will be played in England in 2021. Their next opponents shall be Israel and Georgia, games scheduled for 29 August in Tel Aviv and 3 September in Tbilisi respectively. Milena Bertolini will have to do without the injured Barbara Bonansea for these first two fixtures, and will instead place her trust in some promising youth players, such as Agnese Bonfantini and Arianna Caruso, both born in 1999, and called up in order to add even more life and energy to the group who did so well at the World Cup. “This new beginning has a lot of potential pitfalls,” warned the Coach, “there’s now a different responsibility, everyone presumes that what we have achieved before we must now always do/match this level, forgetting that it was something extraordinary because the girls did more that should have been possible. We have to be aware that this is the start of a new chapter, which may well be more difficult than two years ago when we came together for the first time.”

The importance of the legacy from June remains, a sporting result that has led to this movement’s exponential growth in recent months thanks to the investments and reforms implemented by the FIGC: "I hope to be able to take a lot from the World Cup, especially the enthusiasm that we created in this nation," the Coach said. “We want to keep up the great performances from the girls and the team spirit they showed on the pitch. We shouldn’t focus on those who didn’t play, as everyone made a great contribution." What is important now is that we do not lose this feeling, we have to keep the spotlight on women's football: "We won’t turn back, as if we do then we’ll lose the media attention on women’s football that existed during the World Cup. I think that we’ll continue to talk about women's football, but above all in a different way: we will talk more about girls' performances and the theme of professionalism.”

Squad List

Goalkeepers: Laura Giuliani (Juventus), Francesca Durante (Fiorentina Women), Rachele Baldi (Empoli Ladies).

Defenders: Elisa Bartoli (AS Roma), Laura Fusetti (AC Milan), Sara Gama (Juventus), Alia Guagni (Fiorentina Women), Elena Linari (Atletico de Madrid), Vanessa Panzeri (Juventus), Linda Tucceri Cimini (AC Milan).

Midfielders: Valentina Bergamaschi (AC Milan), Agnese Bonfantini (AS Roma), Arianna Caruso (Juventus), Valentina Cernoia (Juventus), Aurora Galli (Juventus), Manuela Giugliano (AS Roma), Martina Rosucci (Juventus), Annamaria Serturini (AS Roma).

Forwards: Cristiana Girelli (Juventus), Valentina Giacinti (AC Milan), Gloria Marinelli (FC Inter), Daniela Sabatino (Sassuolo), Stefania Tarenzi (FC Inter).

Staff

Head Coach: Milena Bertolini; Assistant Coach: Nicola Matteucci; Fitness Coach: Francesco Perondi; Goalkeeping Coach: Cristiano Viotti; Match Analyst: Marco Mannucci; Doctors: Matteo Guzzini, Luca Gatteschi, Ferdinando Iannotti; Physiotherapists: Daniele Frosoni, Matteo Cossa; Nutritionist: Natale Gentile.

Schedule

Monday 26 August

10:45 Transfer to Rome Fiumicino airport

12:00 Flight to Tel Aviv

16:20* Arrive in Tel Aviv and transfer to Hotel Herods Herzliya

20.00* Training at the Shefayim training ground (closed)
Tuesday 27 August

19:30* Training at the Shefayim training ground (closed)

Wednesday 28 August

18:30* Training MD-1 c/o Ramat Gan Stadium  (First 15 minutes open to the media)

Thursday 29 August

18:30* ISRAEL vs. ITALY

Media activities to follow

Friday 30 August

9:30* Training at the Shefayim training ground (closed)

Saturday 31 August

14:10* Flight from Tel Aviv to Tbilisi

17:45** Land at Tbilisi and transfer to the Hotel Radisson Blu Tbilisi

Sunday 1 September

17.00** Training at the David Petriashvili Sports Centre (closed)

Monday 2 September

17:00**  Training MD-1 c/o Mikheil Meskhi Stadium (First 15 minutes open to the media)

Tuesday 3 September

17:00** GEORGIA vs. ITALY

Media activities to follow

Wednesday 4 September

05:05** Return to Italy via Munich

 

Time zones: *Israel CET+1  /  **Georgia CET +2