The first day of the UEFA workshop for the 24 National teams taking part in the Euros focused on the number of players to be included in the squads. During the Refereeing/Football session, 20 of 24 head coaches were present to compare the current rule of a 23-man squad and the potential expansion to include 26 players like at Euro 2020 because of COVID-19 and proposed by certain coaches.

Luciano Spalletti, participating in the meeting, expressed that he was in favour of the change due to the competition coming at the end of the season, intending to reduce the risk of injuries given the little time between games, as well as give space to more players. UEFA, taking the desire of the head coaches into account, will evaluate the matter and decide the details regarding squad numbers for the Euros that start on 14 June.

Spalletti spoke in the media area: “I believe that it is right to bring along 26 players, as long as we then have the chance to have 15 on the bench. UEFA has given us the possibility to take care of problems in the squad”. An inevitable word on how Euro 2024 will shape up: “As far as our group goes, there is still some time left but the development work is already done, we won’t have other international breaks. In March, we left out a few players as the Under 21s were playing qualifiers: the 15/16 players from the friendlies in March will be in the Euros squad, but we will also see who shows their talent in the last weeks of the season”.

Italy will be defending their title in Germany: “To be competitive, given the level of the opposition, we need to take another step forward. During a competition, however, Italy always knows how to give a little extra”. It was the Azzurri who emerged as World Cup champions in Germany in 2006: “Having a history is always a push for the players, but we need to do better than what we have done to be competitive. Even if we are not at our best or at the level of the top sides like Spain, France, Germany, and England, we want to work to get there. Everyone’s dream is to relive the same kind of situation, but we need to be better than the rest and that isn’t simple”.