Savona is his surname, hailing from Aosta, playing in Turin, and achieving his dream in Verona by netting his first Serie A goal for Juventus. His next stop on the Italian tour is Rome, where the Under-21 National Team is preparing for the EURO 2025 qualifier against San Marino, scheduled for Thursday at 16:45 CEST at the Stadio Domenico Francioni in Latina. Nicolò Savona is the newest addition to Carmine Nunziata's roster, with the Juventus defender receiving the Azzurri call-up after what he describes as an 'exciting' start to the season. 'I am very delighted with this call-up; it's my first, and I hope there will be more,' he commented from the Under-21 camp. 'I'm feeling intense emotions, more than just happiness. The call came before my Stadium debut: step by step, I focused first on Juventus, then on wearing the Azzurri jersey

Savona, who considers Dani Alves, Cancelo, and Theo Hernandez his idols, is handling his newfound popularity 'very calmly.' 'It's always nice when people ask you for a photo while you're out. I remember when I was a kid, I was the one asking for photos, and now I'm beginning to step into this world myself. I'm entirely at the disposal of people.' His words convey a serenity necessary for navigating such a moment, and it hasn't made Savona neglect his university studies. 'I'm a very chill guy; I hang out with my friends and teammates,' he says. 'I stay at home, study, and attend university online. I'm studying Sports Management, and in the future, I'd like to have more opportunities. Keeping your mind trained off the field helps a lot: being able to focus on and concentrate on aspects or situations different from those on the pitch helps with concentration.

Integrating into the Under-21 team has been smooth: 'I’m familiar with these guys from playing against or with them. There’s a lot of pride; wearing the Azzurro jersey is something extraordinary. Turicchia is the one I know best, but there’s plenty to learn from everyone.' In the national team and at Juventus: 'Locatelli, Danilo, Gatti, Bremer, they're all helping me. Motta, however, tells me to stay relaxed and play naturally, doing what I’ve always done. This advice helps me feel at ease and avoids creating unnecessary pressure.'

And who knows, the player from Valle d'Aosta ('It’s a point of pride to represent my region too') might make his debut in Latina on Thursday against San Marino: 'This is a very important match. If not taken seriously or underestimated, it could lead to disappointing outcomes. You must stay focused on the task, approach the game as if it were a final, and be aggressive on every ball as if it were your last.

PRESS CONFERENCE AND HOSPITAL VISIT. The Under-21 National Team will gather in the evening of Sunday 1 September in Rome, with their first session scheduled for 18:00 CEST on Monday at the Mancini Park Hotel. The match between Italy and San Marino will be presented on Wednesday 4 September at the Sala De Pasquale of the Municipality of Latina. The following will all be in attendance: Councillor for Sport, Tourism and the Environment for the Region of Lazio, Elena Palazzo; the Mayor of Latina, Matilde Celentano; Sports Councillor Andrea Chiarato; Extraordinary Commissioner of the Asl of Latina, Sabrina Cenciarelli; the Delegation Head of the Under-21 National Team, Giancarlo Antognoni; Head Coach Carmine Nunziata.

After the scheduled press conference, the Councillor for Sport, Tourism and the Environment for the Region of Lazio, Elena Palazzo, and the Extraordinary Commissioner of the Asl of Latina, Sabrina Cenciarelli, will accompany the players and staff members of the Under-21 National Team on a visit to the paediatric ward of the Santa Maria Goretti Hospital, where gadgets will be given to young patients there. On Thursday 5 September, the day of the match, medical campers from the Latina Asl will also be present at the Stadio Francioni to conduct free cardiology and oncology screenings.

Call-ups

Goalkeepers: Sebastiano Desplanches (Palermo), Jacopo Sassi (Modena), Gioele Zacchi (Latina);
Defenders: Giovanni Bonfanti (Pisa), Diego Coppola (Verona), Daniele Ghilardi (Verona), Michael Olabode Kayode (Fiorentina), Lorenzo Pirola (Olympiacos), Matteo Ruggeri (Atalanta), Nicolò Savona (Juventus), Riccardo Turicchia (Catanzaro), Davide Veroli (Sampdoria), Mattia Zanotti (Lugano);
Midfielders: Tommaso Baldanzi (Roma), Alessandro Bianco (Fiorentina), Edoardo Bove (Roma), Giovanni Fabbian (Bologna), Jacopo Fazzini (Empoli), Cher Ndour (Besiktas), Niccolò Pisilli (Roma), Matteo Prati (Cagliari), Franco Tongya (Salernitana);
Forwards: Giuseppe Ambrosino (Frosinone), Francesco Pio Esposito (Spezia), Wilfried Gnonto (Leeds), Antonio Raimondo (Venezia)

UNDER 21'S UEFA EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS 2025 - GROUP A

Thursday, 5 September 

• 16:00 CEST: Latvia vs. Norway
• 16:45 CEST: ITALY vs. San Marino (Latina)

Friday, 6 September 

• 18:45 CEST: Türkiye vs. Ireland

Tuesday, 10 September

• 18:00 CEST: Ireland vs. Latvia
• 18:30 CEST: Norway vs. ITALY (Stavanger)
• 20:30 CEST: San Marino vs. Türkiye

Standings (Games played in parentheses):
ITALY (7) 15 points, Ireland (6) 13, Norway (6) 12, Latvia (6) and Türkiye (6) 7, San Marino (7) 0

Upcoming Matches for Italy:

• Tuesday, 15 October: Italy vs. Ireland

Schedule

Monday, 2 September 

• 18:00 CEST: Training at Mancini Park Hotel - Rome (open to media)

Tuesday, 3 September 

• 09:30 CEST: Training (open to media)
• 13:30 CEST: Player press conference (via Zoom and in person)

Wednesday, 4 September 

• 10:00 CEST: Training (closed to media)
• 16:30 CEST: Press conference at the Municipality of Latina
• 17:30 CEST: Walkaround at 'Domenico Francioni' Stadium
• 18:00 CEST: Visit to Santa Maria Goretti Hospital
• Transfer to Park Hotel – Latina

Thursday, 5 September 

• 16:45 CEST: ITALY vs. San Marino (Domenico Francioni Stadium, Latina, live on Rai 2)
• Followed by press conference and transfer to Mancini Park Hotel - Rome

Friday, 6 September

• 10:00 CEST: Training (open to media)

Saturday, 7 September 

• 10:00 CEST: Training (open to media)

Sunday, 8 September 

• 11:00 CEST: Training (open to media)
• 16:00 CEST: Charter flight Rome Fiumicino-Stavanger

Monday, 9 September 

• 13:30 CEST: Nunziata press conference (via Zoom and in person)
• 18:30 CEST: Walkaround at SR Bank Arena in Stavanger

Tuesday, 10 September

• 18:30 CEST: Norway vs. ITALY (SR Bank Arena, Stavanger, live on Rai 2)
• Followed by a press conference, charter flight Stavanger-Milan Malpensa-Rome Fiumicino, and dissolution of delegation