No time to stop and celebrate Italy’s gold medal won at the Mediterranean Beach Games in Patras last Saturday, which coincided with the National Beach Soccer Team’s 200th victory, as the Superfinal is already right on the horizon. Coach Emiliano Del Duca has called up his squad of twelve players who will be in Figueira da Foz in Portugal from 5 to 8 September to defend their European title won in Alghero in September 2018. Ten of the twelve were part of the group that won the European Championship in front of the Italian public, a team that has reached the peak of its maturity. The only additions are 19-year-old Josep Jr, who takes the place of Michele di Palma, and forward Francesco Sciacca who comes in for Gabriele Gori. The injury to Gori, Italy’s most prolific striker of all time, is a real blow to the National Team, and it certainly won’t be easy to replace this man who was at the centre of Italy's incredible 2019. He’s scored 258 goals in total throughout his career for Italy, and was top scorer in all the competitions in which Italy took part in 2019. This European Championship will be the first ever for both Josep Jr and Sciacca.

The National Team have already arrived in Portugal and will train twice daily from today to 4 September as Coach Emiliano Del Duca prepares the side for their debut on Thursday 5 September at 16:30 CEST against Ukraine. The Azzurri will then face Turkey at the same time the next day. Italbeach will go up against the hosts Portugal in the last match of the round on Saturday 7 September at 19:00 CEST. The other group sees Spain, Belarus, Russia and Switzerland all face up against one another. All the finals will be played on Sunday according to each national teams' placement in their respective groups, with each team playing against the side with the same ranking in the other group: the two in first place will compete for first and second, those in second place will compete for third and fourth, etc.

The squad list

Goalkeepers: Andrea Carpita (Viareggio BS), Simone Del Mestre (Happy Car Samb BS);

Defenders: Alfio Chiavaro (Catania BS), Francesco Corosiniti (Catania BS);

Wingers: Alessio Frainetti (BS Terracina), Gentilini Josep Junior (Sambenedettese BS), Simone Marinai (Viareggio BS), Pietro Angelo Palazzolo (Catania BS), Paolo Palmacci (Catania BS), Dario Ramacciotti (Viareggio BS);

Forwards: Emmanuele Zurlo (Catania BS), Francesco Sciacca (Catania BS).

Staff - Head Coach: Emiliano Del Duca; Head of Delegation: Massimo Agostini; Accompanying Manager: Ferdinando Arcopinto; Secretary: Sabrina Filacchione; Assistant Coach: Michele Leghissa; Athletic Coach: Paolo La Rocca; Goalkeeping Coach: Antonino Nosdeo; Doctor: Giorgio Bruni; Physiotherapist: Fabio Zelioli.