The Azzurri today got down to work at Coverciano ahead of a decisive weekend in World Cup qualification, with matches against Switzerland and Northern Ireland.

Following the prerequisite checks done in the morning, Lorenzo Pellegrini and Nicolò Zaniolo left the camp as they are unavailable for the upcoming games. In their place, Mancini has called up Matteo Pessina and Danilo Cataldi. The Lazio midfielder thus returns to the fold after five years away, his first and only call-up to the first team having come in November 2016. Cataldi, therefore, becomes the 81st player to be called up to the squad by the current Italy boss since May 2018.

There were numerous events and initiatives taking place at Coverciano today. Present to follow the first session of the break was a delegation from Real Eyes Sport ASD – a sports association working with children with visual sensory impairments. Before the session began, the Azzurri spent time with the children involved with the association, which was founded by Daniele Cassioli - blind since birth due to retinitis pigmentosa, multiple world and European champion of water skiing and member of the National Board of the CIP (Italian Paralympic Committee) – and various professionals, who have been active for years in promoting, organizing and supporting sporting and social initiatives.

On the 'terrace' of Coverciano, watching the Azzurri's session were also Giovanni and Giulia Deluca, father and 17-year-old daughter from Barletta; they were both in the group of 600 Azzurri fans who followed the National Team at Wembley from Italy and, despite the security measures in London, on their return they were both infected by Covid. They are big fans of the National team and had already followed during Euro 2012 and Euro 2016; after the unfortunate experience at Wembley, they had the chance to follow the National team in Coverciano.

Also present were other guests who worked on a solidarity project for the Christmas Concert at the Vatican, involving the Italian National Singers' Association, the Don Bosco Missions and the Pontifical Foundation Gravissimum Educationis.

 

Squad list

Goalkeepers: Alessio Cragno (Cagliari), Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain), Alex Meret (Napoli), Salvatore Sirigu (Genoa);
Defenders: Francesco Acerbi (Lazio), Alessandro Bastoni (Inter), Cristiano Biraghi (Fiorentina), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Davide Calabria (Milan), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli), Emerson Palmieri (Lyon), Gianluca Mancini (Roma);
Midfielders: Nicolò Barella (Inter), Danilo Cataldi (Lazio); Bryan Cristante (Roma), Jorginho (Chelsea), Manuel Locatelli (Juventus), Matteo Pessina (Atalanta), Tommaso Pobega (Torino), Sandro Tonali (Milan);
Attackers: Andrea Belotti (Torino), Domenico Berardi (Sassuolo), Federico Bernardeschi (Juventus), Federico Chiesa (Juventus), Ciro Immobile (Lazio), Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli), Giacomo Raspadori (Sassuolo).

Schedule (all times CET unless stated otherwise)

Sunday 7 November
Meet-up at the Coverciano Federal Technical Centre
Monday 8 November
13:15 – Press conference at Coverciano – Head Coach *(access for journalists and photographers)
15:30 – Training at Coverciano *(open to journalists and photographers for first 15 minutes)
Tuesday 9 November
13:30 – Press conference at Coverciano – Player **(access for journalists)
16:00 – Training at Coverciano **(behind closed doors)
Wednesday 10 November
10:30 – Training at Coverciano **(behind closed doors)
Afternoon transfer from Florence to Roma and visit to Bambino Gesù Children’s hospital
Thursday 11 November
12:00 – Press conference at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, ITALY (access for journalists)
18:30 – Training at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, ITALY (first 15 minutes open to the media)
16:00 – Press conference at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Switzerland (access for journalists)
17:00 – Training at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Switzerland (first 15 minutes open to the media)
Friday 12 November
20:45 – ITALY vs. Switzerland. Post-match press conference and return to hotel to follow
Saturday 13 November
15:00 – Training at the Acqua Acetosa Olympic Training Centre in Rome (behind closed doors)
Sunday 14 November
10:30 – Transfer from Rome to Belfast
11:30 l.t Training, Northern Ireland (first 15 minutes open to the press)
13:00 l.t – Press conference, Northern Ireland ***(access for journalists)
17:30 l.t – Press conference, ITALY ***(access for journalists)
18:00 l.t – Training ITALY ***(first 15 minutes open to the media)
Monday 15 November
19:45 l.t – Northern Ireland vs. ITALY. Followed by post-match press conference and return to respective clubs

*Depending on capacity, journalists and photographers will be granted access to the press conference and the first 15 minutes of the team’s training session on Monday 8 November
**Only journalists will have access to successive press conferences at Coverciano, with the remaining training sessions taking place behind closed doors. TV operators will not be granted access. The FIGC will produce and distribute images relating to press conferences and training sessions to relevant parties upon request. For more info: Massimiliano Reale (FIGC Area Sales): email: m.reale@figcit. Tel: 06/84913023.
***The press conferences in Belfast will be reserved for eight media outlets. A Zoom link will be provided for accredited journalists to follow the conference.