With less than a year gone since the two friendly games with France, the Under-18 side are back in Aquila. Last time out, both teams earned a win with the Azzurrini losing the first game 3-0 but winning the second 2-1. After beating Albania 3-0 at Coverciano on 11 August, this time out Serbia will be the opponents in two friendly games set to be played at Stadio ‘Gran Sasso d’Italia’ on Wednesday 21 September at 17:00 CEST (live on Rai Sport +HD, channel 58 DT) and Saturday 24 September at 14:30 CEST. Italy are unbeaten in their six previous meetings with Serbia, winning three and drawing three.

Daniele Franceschini has decided to call up 24 players, all born in 2005, adding two further players to the initial 22 announced (Manuel Rossetti and Filippo Saiani, defenders for Bologna and SPAL, respectively) for the training camp, who all met up on Sunday evening at Olympic Preparation Centre in Rome. Tomorrow (Tuesday 19 September), the group will travel to Aquila, where the Head Coach and captain, Saverio Domanico, will take part in a meeting with students from the I.I.S. Amedeo Duca D’Aosta school to discuss an initiative organised by the LND Abruzzo section, 'Training for Life, football as an educational tool'.

Squad List

Goalkeepers: Federico Magro (Lazio), Francesco Borriello (Parma), Alessandro Calligaris (Inter);
Defenders: Nicolò Serra (Torino), Marco Palestra (Atalanta), Lorenzo Romani (Fiorentina), Saer Diop (Bologna), Saverio Domanico (Juventus), Luigi D’Avino (Napoli), Alessandro Milani (Lazio), Manuele Rossetti (Bologna), Filippo Saiani (Spal);
Midfielders: Fabio Parravicini (Spal), Antonio Troise (Lazio), Diego Ripani (Juventus), Patrick Nuamah (Brescia), Leonardo Graziani (Roma), Kevin Bruno (Sassuolo), Daniele Quieto (Inter);
Forwards: Alessandro Bolzan (Roma), Francesco Pio Esposito (Inter), Enoch Owusu (Inter), Marco Delle Monache (Pescara), Francesco Presta (Fiorentina).

Staff – Head Coach: Daniele Franceschini; Assitant Head Coach: Matteo Barella; Fitness Coach: Nicolò Varesco; Goalkeeper Coach: Pasquale Pastore; Match Analyst: Andrea Zappavigna; Doctors: Alessandro Carducci and Sofia Calaciura Clarich; Physiotherapist: Andrea Cantera.