“I got the news of the official call-up last Friday before the derby match against Twente, it was a great feeling that stayed in the back of my mind during the whole game.” These were the words of 21-year-old defender Giacomo Quagliata, who plays for Heracles Almelo in the Dutch Eredivisie. Together with Atalanta player Giorgio Scalvini, he is one of the new entries into this fresh faced and very young Azzurrini side, which has started with three victories and a draw in European qualifying. "It is difficult to put into words just how I’m feeling right now,” continued Quagliata in his interview with Rai Sport. “It’s every boy’s dream to wear this jersey and getting the chance to do so is something I’m incredibly proud of. After so much hard work, I have ticked this one off the list, but for me it’s still only the beginning of the journey.” Quagliata has settled in nicely: “I’ve only got good things to say, I’m getting on well with my teammates and the coaching staff. I hope I can play as much as possible.”

Perhaps these hopes will be fulfilled straight away, starting with the U21s’ match against Ireland in Dublin on Friday. “It is not going to be an easy match, we can’t be complacent, but we’re preparing for it as best we can."

Giacomo Quagliata's journey through the ranks began many years ago when he played for Polisportiva Calcio Sicilia at the age of ten and then plied his trade in the lower divisions of Italian football. “I left home at the age of 16," he said. "I spent the first two years in Vercelli’s youth academy, getting hardly any game time. Then, I went on loan to Latina and spent six months at Bari, winning Serie D. After this, I returned to Vercelli, but, after six months, this great opportunity to go and play in Holland came up and I jumped at it without thinking twice. Initially, it was tough, a completely new lifestyle and language to adapt to, but after a while I started to speak English, to get a feel for the city, the schedules, and now I’m very happy. In the Eredivisie, you come up against lots of great sides like Ajax, PSV, AZ, Feyenoord. All the forwards are really strong, the standard is high and anything can happen. They are very unpredictable games. At left-back, Quagliata appreciates one thing in particular about Dutch football: "They allow you to make mistakes and that lets you to grow as a player."

The Azzurrini trained this morning. Today, Udinese player Destiny Udogie joined Calafiori in having to pull out from the upcoming games. In the afternoon, the squad will leave for Dublin. Meanwhile, Nicolato has called up three players for the friendly match that the Under-21s will play on Tuesday 16 November at the Stadio Benito Stirpe in Frosinone. These players, who will join the group on Saturday morning in Tirrenia, are Pietro Pellegri (AC Milan), Simone Canestrelli (Crotone) and Alessandro Cortinovis (Reggina).

Squad list

Goalkeepers: Marco Carnesecchi (Cremonese), Alessandro Russo (Alessandria), Stefano Turati (Reggina);

Defenders: Raoul Bellanova (Cagliari), Andrea Cambiaso (Genoa), Andrea Carboni (Cagliari), Gabriele Ferrarini (Perugia), Matteo Lovato (Atalanta), Caleb Okoli (Cremonese), Lorenzo Pirola (Monza), Giacomo Quagliata (Heracles Almelo), Giorgio Scalvini (Atalanta);

Midfielders: Salvatore Esposito (SPAL), Nicolò Fagioli (Cremonese), Filippo Ranocchia (Vicenza), Samuele Ricci (Empoli), Nicolò Rovella (Genoa), Iyenoma:

Forwards: Matteo Cancellieri (Hellas Verona), Lorenzo Colombo (Spal), Lorenzo Lucca (Pisa), Samuele Mulattieri (Crotone), Roberto Piccoli (Atalanta), Emanuel Vignato (Bologna).

Schedule (all times CET unless stated otherwise)

Wednesday 10 November 2021

10:30 Training (behind closed doors)

17:00 Charter flight Pisa – Dublin and subsequent transfer to The Address City West (formerly the Kingswood Hotel) Naas Road, Kingswood, Dublin 22

 

Thursday 11 November 2021

10:30 (l.t.) Training (behind closed doors)

14:00 (l.t.) Press conference – Head Coach Nicolato (RAI in attendance, otherwise broadcast via zoom)

18:30 (l.t.) Visit to the Tallaght Stadium in Dublin

     

Friday 12 November 2021

09:00 (l.t.) Exclusive RAI interview – Nicolato

10:30 (l.t.) Training (behind closed doors)

17:30 (l.t.) Tallaght Stadium in Dublin: REPUBLIC OF IRELAND VS. ITALY  

Post-match press conference to follow (RAI in attendance, otherwise broadcast via zoom)

    

Saturday 13 November 2021

10:30 (l.t.) Charter flight Dublin - Pisa and subsequent transfer to Tirrenia Olympic Training Centre

17:30 Training (behind closed doors)

 

Sunday 14 November 2021

10:30 Training (behind closed doors)

13:30 Press conference – Player (zoom for everybody)

17:30 Training (behind closed doors)

Monday 15 November 2021

09:00 Charter train Livorno – Frosinone and subsequent transfer to Silva Hotel Splendid, Fiuggi

14:00 Press conference – Head Coach Nicolato (RAI in attendance, otherwise broadcast via zoom)

17:30 Training at the Stadio Benito Stripe in Frosinone (first 15 minutes open to the press)  

Tuesday 16 November 2021

09:00 Exclusive RAI interview - Nicolato

10:30 Muscle workout

17:30 Stadio Benito Stripe in Frosinone: ITALY VS. ROMANIA

Post-match press conference (RAI in attendance, otherwise broadcast via zoom) and return to respective clubs to follow