Starting with San Marino and Norway, the U21 National Team is already at a critical juncture. In just over a month, and in 270 minutes including the match on 15 October in Trieste against Ireland, Carmine Nunziata's team will be fighting for qualification to the 2025 Euro's in Slovakia. The Azzurrini are currently leading Group A but have one more game played than their rivals. Italy's campaign will kick off on Thursday at 16:45 (Rai 2) at the 'Domenico Francioni' stadium in Latina, as part of the collaboration between FIGC and the Lazio Region. The second game will be held on Tuesday 10 in Stavanger (18:30 CEST, Rai 2).

"It is essential for us to go to places where there is enthusiasm and where the stadium is full," said Carmine Nunziata during his first press conference at the Mancini Park Hotel in Rome. "What we expect when we play is to create that enthusiasm among the fans".

"We meet again after many months, and we need to put the concepts back together, be a team, and set a goal", Nunziata added. "We need to adapt and find solutions so that we can go into these two matches knowing what we need to do". One of the challenges for Italy is also related to potential suspensions: Coppola, Bove, Fabbian, Ndour, and Gnonto would miss the match against Norway if they pick up a yellow card against San Marino.

Motivation is crucial, so Nunziata emphasized: "There are games to be played, and none of them are easy. They only seem easy if you approach them in the right way. We need to prepare for this match as if we were facing Norway or Ireland: San Marino will defend, sit back in their own half, and will look to counterattack. These are aspects we need to prepare for, and every game should be approached with the same level of seriousness".

Nunziata also acknowledged the contribution of clubs: "The success of youth national teams over the years is also thanks to the players we have." He spoke highly of Edoardo Bove, who recently moved from Roma to Fiorentina: "He is a remarkably intelligent young man with important values who will make the most of this opportunity."

PRESS CONFERENCE AND HOSPITAL VISIT. The Under-21 National Team will gather in the evening of Sunday 1 September in Rome, with their first session scheduled for 18:00 CEST on Monday at the Mancini Park Hotel. The match between Italy and San Marino will be presented on Wednesday 4 September at the Sala De Pasquale of the Municipality of Latina. The following will all be in attendance: Councillor for Sport, Tourism and the Environment for the Region of Lazio, Elena Palazzo; the Mayor of Latina, Matilde Celentano; Sports Councillor Andrea Chiarato; Extraordinary Commissioner of the Asl of Latina, Sabrina Cenciarelli; the Delegation Head of the Under-21 National Team, Giancarlo Antognoni; Head Coach Carmine Nunziata.

After the scheduled press conference, the Councillor for Sport, Tourism and the Environment for the Region of Lazio, Elena Palazzo, and the Extraordinary Commissioner of the Asl of Latina, Sabrina Cenciarelli, will accompany the players and staff members of the Under-21 National Team on a visit to the paediatric ward of the Santa Maria Goretti Hospital, where gadgets will be given to young patients there. On Thursday 5 September, the day of the match, medical campers from the Latina Asl will also be present at the Stadio Francioni to conduct free cardiology and oncology screenings.

Call-ups

Goalkeepers: Sebastiano Desplanches (Palermo), Jacopo Sassi (Modena), Gioele Zacchi (Latina);
Defenders: Giovanni Bonfanti (Pisa), Diego Coppola (Verona), Daniele Ghilardi (Verona), Michael Olabode Kayode (Fiorentina), Lorenzo Pirola (Olympiacos), Matteo Ruggeri (Atalanta), Nicolò Savona (Juventus), Riccardo Turicchia (Catanzaro), Davide Veroli (Sampdoria), Mattia Zanotti (Lugano);
Midfielders: Tommaso Baldanzi (Roma), Alessandro Bianco (Fiorentina), Edoardo Bove (Roma), Giovanni Fabbian (Bologna), Jacopo Fazzini (Empoli), Cher Ndour (Besiktas), Niccolò Pisilli (Roma), Matteo Prati (Cagliari), Franco Tongya (Salernitana);
Forwards: Giuseppe Ambrosino (Frosinone), Francesco Pio Esposito (Spezia), Wilfried Gnonto (Leeds), Antonio Raimondo (Venezia)

UEFA EURO UNDER 21 2025 - GROUP A

Thursday, 5 September 

• 16:00 CEST: Latvia vs. Norway
• 16:45 CEST: ITALY vs. San Marino (Latina)

Friday, 6 September 

• 18:45 CEST: Türkiye vs. Ireland

Tuesday, 10 September

• 18:00 CEST: Ireland vs. Latvia
• 18:30 CEST: Norway vs. ITALY (Stavanger)
• 20:30 CEST: San Marino vs. Türkiye

Standings (Games played in parentheses):
ITALY (7) 15 points, Ireland (6) 13, Norway (6) 12, Latvia (6) and Türkiye (6) 7, San Marino (7) 0

Upcoming Matches for Italy:

• Tuesday, 15 October: Italy vs. Ireland

Schedule

Monday, 2 September 

• 18:00 CEST: Training at Mancini Park Hotel - Rome (open to media)

Tuesday, 3 September 

• 09:30 CEST: Training (open to media)
• 13:30 CEST: Player press conference (via Zoom and in person)

Wednesday, 4 September 

• 10:00 CEST: Training (closed to media)
• 16:30 CEST: Press conference at the Municipality of Latina
• 17:30 CEST: Walkaround at 'Domenico Francioni' Stadium
• 18:00 CEST: Visit to Santa Maria Goretti Hospital
• Transfer to Park Hotel – Latina

Thursday, 5 September 

• 16:45 CEST: ITALY vs. San Marino (Domenico Francioni Stadium, Latina, live on Rai 2)
• Followed by press conference and transfer to Mancini Park Hotel - Rome

Friday, 6 September

• 10:00 CEST: Training (open to media)

Saturday, 7 September 

• 10:00 CEST: Training (open to media)

Sunday, 8 September 

• 11:00 CEST: Training (open to media)
• 16:00 CEST: Charter flight Rome Fiumicino-Stavanger

Monday, 9 September 

• 13:30 CEST: Nunziata press conference (via Zoom and in person)
• 18:30 CEST: Walkaround at SR Bank Arena in Stavanger

Tuesday, 10 September

• 18:30 CEST: Norway vs. ITALY (SR Bank Arena, Stavanger, live on Rai 2)
• Followed by a press conference, charter flight Stavanger-Milan Malpensa-Rome Fiumicino, and dissolution of delegation