The European Under-19 team are back in action. From tomorrow (29 September), the Azzurrini led by Carmine Nunziata begin their preparations at the Cpo in Tirrenia ahead of the first qualifying phase for the European Championship. The work towards the continental competition resumes after the interruption that lasted just under two years; the last outing of the youth team dates back to November 2019 when the team, then coached by Alberto Bollini, passed through the first round of qualification, reaching the top of the group after beating Slovakia, Cyprus and Malta. Due to the tragic events related to the pandemic, that format of European Championship qualifying is no longer being played, and now we take to the pitch again as the team looks to reach the finals of the continental exhibition that will take place in Slovakia starting from 18 June.

Carmine Nunziata has called up 24 players, all born in 2003, apart from Roma midfielder Giacomo Faticanti who is the only one born in 2004. From tomorrow until Sunday 3 October, when the Azzurro coach will choose his 20 starting players, the team will remain in Tirrenia before leaving on Monday 4 October for Maribor, where the qualifying round will begin. Group 12 will see Italy take on, in order, Lithuania (6 October), Iceland (9 October), and the hosts Slovenia (12 October). The first two in their respective groups, plus the best third-placed team from the thirteen total qualifying groups, will qualify for the final phase of the European Championship.

Squad List

Goalkeepers: Sebastiano Desplanches (AC Milan), Jacopo Sassi (Atalanta), Gioele Zacchi (Sassuolo);

Defenders: Diego Coppola (Hellas Verona), Alessandro Fontanarosa (Inter), Davide Gentile (Fiorentina), Daniele Ghilardi (Fiorentina), Gabriele Mulazzi (Juventus), Nicolò Savona (Juventus), Giorgio Scalvini (Atalanta), Riccardo Turicchia (Juventus), Mattia Zanotti (Inter);

Midfielders: Cesare Casadei (Inter), Nicolò Cavuoti (Cagliari), Duccio Degli Innocenti (Empoli), Giovanni Fabbian (Inter), Giacomo Faticanti (Roma), Jacopo Fazzini (Empoli), Samuel Giovane (Atalanta), Federico Zuccon (Atalanta);

Forwards: Tommaso De Nipoti (Atalanta), Destiny Efosa Egharevba (Fiorentina), Henoc Stephane N’Gbesso (Spezia), Alessio Rosa (Torino).

Staff: Head Coach, Carmine Nunziata; Co-ordinator, Maurizio Viscidi; Head of Delegation, Gianfranco Serioli, Assistant Coach, Emanuele Filippini; Athletic Coach, Vito Azzone; Goalkeeping Coach, Fabrizio Ferron; Match Analyst, Mirko Magistro; Medics: Carmelo Papotto, Lorenzo Ticca and Raffaele Iorio; Physiotherapists, Giuseppe Galli and Riccardo Torquati; Nutritionists, Alessio Colli; Scout, Claudio Coppi; Secretary, Aldo Blessich; Tutor, Stefano Presciutti