Paolo Nicolato has named his first squad after taking over the role of Head Coach of the Under-21 National Team from Luigi Di Biagio earlier this summer. Following the European Championship on home soil, the team are set to go again: the Azzurrini will face Moldova at the Angelo Massimino stadium in Catania on Friday 6 September (18:30 CEST) before beginning their EURO 2021 qualifying campaign on Tuesday 10 September (18:30 CEST) against Luxembourg in Castel di Sangro.

25 players have been called up, with twelve of them being named in the Under-21 squad for the first time. This applies to the following: goalkeeper Carnesecchi, defenders Bellanova, Bettella, Del Prato, Gabbia, Ranieri, Sala and Tripaldelli, and midfielders Carraro, Frattesi, Maggiore and Zanellato. The only position without any newcomers is in the attacking department: Kean, Pinamonti, Scamacca, Sottil and Tumminello have all been involved with the side previously.

The Under-21 National Team, whose new Head of Delegation is Massimo Paganin, will get together late in the evening on Sunday 1 September in Fiumicino and depart for Catania the following morning.

Squad

Goalkeepers: Marco Carnesecchi (Trapani), Mattia Del Favero (Piacenza), Alessandro Plizzari (Livorno);
Defenders: Claud Adjapong (Verona), Alessandro Bastoni (Inter), Raoul Bellanova (Bordeaux), Davide Bettella (Pescara), Enrico Del Prato (Livorno), Matteo Gabbia (Milan), Riccardo Marchizza (Spezia), Luca Ranieri (Fiorentina), Marco Sala (Virtus Entella), Alessandro Tripaldelli (Sassuolo);
Midfielders: Marco Carraro (Perugia), Davide Frattesi (Empoli), Manuel Locatelli (Sassuolo), Giulio Maggiore (Spezia), Sandro Tonali (Brescia), Niccolò Zanellato (Crotone), Nicolò Zaniolo (Roma);
Forwards: Moise Kean (Everton), Andrea Pinamonti (Genoa), Gianluca Scamacca (Ascoli), Riccardo Sottil (Fiorentina), Marco Tumminello (Pescara).

Staff – Head Coach: Paolo Nicolato; Head of Delegation: Massimo Paganin; Accompanying Director Vincenzo Marinelli; National Youth Teams Coordinator: Maurizio Viscidi; Assistant Coach: Mirco Gasparetto; Secretary: Manfredi Martino; Fitness Coach: Vincenzo Pincolini; Goalkeeper Coach: Gianmatteo Mareggini; Match Analyst: Francesco Bordin; Doctors: Angelo De Carli and Vincenzo Santoriello; Physiologist: Cristian Osgnach; Physiotherapists: Emiliano Bozzetti and Nicola Sanna.

The schedule for the Under-21 National Team:

Sunday 1 September
By 23:00 - Meet in Fiumicino

Monday 2 September
09:00 - Flight Rome Fiumicino-Catania and transfer to the Torre del Grifo Training Centre - Mascalucia
17:00 - Training at the Torre del Grifo Training Centre (open to the press). Followed by a press conference (with the Coach) at the Torre del Grifo Training Centre

Tuesday 3 September
10:00 - Training at the Torre del Grifo Training Centre (closed)
13:15 - Press conference (with one player) at the Torre del Grifo Training Centre
17:00 - Training at the Torre del Grifo Training Centre (open to the press for the first 15 minutes)

Wednesday 4 September
10:00 - Training at the Torre del Grifo Training Centre (closed)
13:15 - Press conference (with one player) at the Torre del Grifo Training Centre
17:00 - Training at the Torre del Grifo Training Centre (open to the press for the first 15 minutes)

Thursday 5 September
10:00 - Training at the Torre del Grifo Training Centre (closed)
13.30 - Press conference (with the Coach) at the Torre del Grifo Training Centre

Friday 6 September
10:30 - Training (closed)
18:30 – ITALY vs. MOLDOVA at the "Angelo Massimino" Stadium in Catania. press conference after the game

Saturday 7 September
09:00 - Flight Catania-Rome Fiumicino and transfer to the Sport Village Hotel & Spa -Castel di Sangro AQ
13:15 - Press conference (with two players) at the Sport Village Hotel & Spa
17:00 - Training at "Teofilo Patini" (open to the press)

Sunday 8 September
10:00 - Training at "Teofilo Patini" (closed)
17:00 - Training at "Teofilo Patini" (open to the press for the first 15 minutes)

Monday 9 September
16:45 - Press conference (with the Coach) at the "Teofilo Patini" Stadium in Castel di Sangro
17:30 - Training at the stadium (open for the first 15 minutes)

Tuesday 10 September
18:30 – ITALY vs. LUXEMBOURG at the "Teofilo Patini" Stadium in Castel di Sangro. Followed by a press conference after the match and the conclusion of the national meet.N.B. All times in CEST.

 

The times of trainings and press conferences may be subject to change.