Willkommen Italien! The Azzurri have arrived in Germany after departing from Florence airport on board a charter flight at 16:30 CEST. Luciano Spalletti’s men landed in Dortmund at around 18:00 CEST before making their way to Iserlohn, the North Rhine-Westphalia city where Italy will be based for EURO 2024.  

The Azzurri received a warm reception in Dortmund from a hundred or so Italy fans and local leaders and representatives: Thomas Westphal (Dortmund Mayor), Alexandra Kogelheide (Head of the Mayor’s Office, Peter Frymuth (Vice President of the German Football Association), Manfred Schnieders (President of the Westphalia Football and Athletics Association) and Martin Sauer (Host City Project Lead EURO 2024) were all present to welcome the players and staff. They spent a short time with FIGC president Gabriele Gravina (who gave the mayor a shirt personalised with his surname, Westphal, and the number 24, symbolising the year of the European Championship), Head Coach Luciano Spalletti, Delegation Head Gianluigi Buffon and captain Gianluigi Donnarumma.

WATER ARCH. As the plane taxied on the runway after landing, the Dortmund Fire Brigade welcomed the Azzurri with a water arch, a well-wishing gesture. Italy will soon be back in Dortmund, where they’ll play their opening European Championship fixture against Albania at the BVB Stadion on Saturday 15 June.

ARRIVAL AT THE HOTEL. After a 30-minute bus journey, the National Team arrived in Iserlohn and the Hotel VierJahreszeiten, where they felt the affection of around 300 Italians living in Germany. The group was welcomed by Iserlohn Mayor Michael Joithe, who met the team and staff as they ate dinner. He received a personalised shirt and brought the Golden Book of the City of Iserlohn for the Azzurri to sign. From tomorrow, at the Hemberg Stadion Nord, Italy will continue their preparations for the upcoming tournament. EURO 2024 is just around the corner.