The Azzurrini completed their final training session at the Olympic Training Centre in Tirrenia this morning ahead of their departure for Slovenia in the evening. The whole group got to work today, including Lorenzo Colombo, who was called up to replace Andrea Pinamonti. Three matches against Spain, the Czech Republic and the hosts await for the Azzurrini, who are looking to progress to the final phase of the European Championship: the quarter-finals in June. The top two in each of the four groups will progress to the last eight.

The Azzurrini will first take to the pitch against the Czech Republic in Celje on 24 March, while they’ll then face Spain and Slovenia in Maribor on 27 and 30 March respectively.

“It’s a difficult group,” said Head Coach Paolo Nicolato two days ahead of the team’s first encounter. “Considering that Spain will almost certainly progress, our first match will be crucial. We’re a young team, with the best U21s already and rightfully part of the senior setup. However, we’re plaaning on competing against our opponents in the right way. We don’t need to do anything fancy, we just need to send the players out in the positions where they’ll be able to best express themselves. What we already know will form our foundation: there’s no time to introduce something new.”

So far, it’s been a positive run for the Under-21s, who have made it this far after coming first in Group 1 during the qualifying group stage. The Azzurrini finished four points ahead of Iceland and six in front of the Republic of Ireland following eight wins, a draw and a single defeat, which they suffered away to Sweden. Across ten matches, the team scored 27 goals and conceded just five, and they’re now dreaming of becoming European Champions again 16 years on from their fifth and last triumph.

Squad list and shirt numbers

Goalkeepers: 12 Marco Carnesecchi (Cremonese), 22 Michele Cerofolini (Reggiana), 1 Alessandro Plizzari (Reggina);
Defenders: 2 Raoul Bellanova (Pescara), 15 Enrico Delprato (Reggina), 3 Gianluca Frabotta (Juventus), 4 Matteo Gabbia (Milan), 6 Matteo Lovato (Hellas Verona), 5 Riccardo Marchizza (Spezia), 16 Lorenzo Pirola (Monza), 13 Luca Ranieri (Spal), 19 Marco Sala (Spal), 17 Gabriele Zappa (Cagliari);
Midfielders: 7 Davide Frattesi (Monza), 21 Giulio Maggiore (Spezia), 18 Tommaso Pobega (Spezia), 23 Samuele Ricci (Empoli), 14 Nicolò Rovella (Genoa), 8 Sandro Tonali (Milan);
Forwards: 10 Patrick Cutrone (Valencia), 9 Lorenzo Colombo (Cremonese), 20 Giacomo Raspadori (Sassuolo), 11 Gianluca Scamacca (Genoa).

Schedule

Monday 22 March
10:45 CET - Training (no press access)
19:00 CET (tbc)- Chartered flight from Pisa to Ljubljana (ETA 21:00 CET) and subsequent transfer to Hotel A - Petrovče

Tuesday 23 March
11:00 CET – Training at the Ob Jezeru City Stadium, Slovenia (first 15 minutes open to the press)
14:00 CET – Press conference via Zoom (Nicolato + one player)
19:00 - Team walkaround at the stadium

Wednesday 24 March
16:00 CET – Technical meeting and subsequent departure for the stadium (Celje)
18:00 CET – CZECH REPUBLIC VS. ITALY. Post-match press conference via Zoom (Nicolato + two players) and transfer to the Grand Hotel Primus (Pot v Toplice 9, 2251 Ptuj)

Thursday 25 March
10:45 CET – Video analysis followed by training (no press access)
13:30 CET – Press conference at the Grand Hotel Primus
16:00 CET – Technical meeting

Friday 26 March
11:00 CET – Training at the Ob Jezeru City Stadium, Slovenia (first 15 minutes open to the press)
14:00 CET – Press conference via Zoom (Nicolato + one player)
19:00 CET – Team walkaround at the stadium

Saturday 27 March
19:00 CET - Technical meeting and subsequent departure for the stadium (Maribor)
21:00 CET - SPAIN VS. ITALY. Post-match press conference via Zoom (Nicolato + two players) and return to hotel

Sunday 28 March
10.45 CEST – Video analysis followed by training (no press access)
14:00 CEST – Press conference at the Grand Hotel Primus
16:00 CEST – Technical meeting

Monday 29 March
11:00 CEST – Training at the Ob Jezeru City Stadium (first 15 minutes open to the press
14:00 CEST – Press conference via Zoom (Nicolato + one player)
16:00 CEST – Technical meeting
19:00 CEST – Team walkaround at the stadium

Tuesday 30 March
19:00 CEST – Technical meeting and subsequent departure for the stadium (Maribor) 21:00 CEST – ITALY VS. SLOVENIA. Post-match press conference via Zoom (Nicolato + two players) and return to hotel  

Wednesday 31 March
Chartered flight from Maribor to Milan Malpensa Airport and then another chartered flight from Milan Malpensa Airport to Fiumicino

Group stage

Group A: Hungary, Germany, Romania, Netherlands
Group B: Slovenia, Spain, Czech Republic, ITALY
Group C: Russia, Iceland, France, Denmark
Group D: Portugal, Croatia, England, Switzerland

The Azzurrini’s fixtures
24 March: Czech Republic vs. ITALY (18:00 CET Celje)

27 March: Spain vs. ITALY (21:00 CET, Maribor)

30 March: ITALY vs. Slovenia (21:00 CEST, Maribor)