A little more than month after the Algarve Cup final, and before Euro 2022, Italy Women will play two matches in World Cup qualifying. On Friday 8 April, the Azzurre will play at Parma’s Stadio Ennio Tardini for the first time ever when they host Lithuania, who are currently second-bottom of the group. Then, on Tuesday 12 April, the Azzurre travel to Thun to take on group leaders Switzerland.

These are two absolute must-win games as the Azzurre look to draw level with the Swiss, who are currently three points clear at the top and who won the reverse fixture 2-1 in Palermo in November. Milena Bertolini’s side will be hoping to avoid the play-offs and secure direct qualification for the World Cup in 2023.

The Italy Women’s Head Coach, Milena Bertolini, today named her 26-player squad for these two qualifying matches. Sabatino returns to the squad for the first time since playing against Israel a year ago. Schroffenegger, Bartoli, Filangeri, Breggi and Bonfantini are all also returning to the fold. Unlike Piemonte, who has recovered from her knee injury, Guagni and Giacinti will not be part of the group, while Serturini, who tested positive for Covid-19, will join her teammates at the end of her medical isolation period.

The Azzurre will meet at Coverciano on Sunday before leaving for Parma next Wednesday. Tickets for this game go on sale at 12:00 CEST on Thursday 31 March via Vivaticket outlets and via figc.vivaticket.it and vivaticket.com.

Before the Lithuania game, both at the stadium and on Italy’s social media channels, the #UnitiDagliStessiColori campaign will be run again. This campaign, which was created by the FIGC, involves all of the major bodies and teams in Italian football to take a stance against discrimination. The initiative’s institutional partner is UNAR (National Office for Anti-discrimination and Racism, set up by the President of the Council of Minsters) and was undertaken with the help of UEFA HatTrick and FSR (Football and Social Responsibility).

Media accreditations: Accreditations FIGC. We would like to inform media members that, from today until Wednesday 6 April (12:00 CEST) the accreditation request system for the game in Parma against Lithuania is available via www.accreditations.figc.it. It is only possible to make a request the user has registered on the portal.

Squad list

Goalkeepers Francesca Durante (Inter), Laura Giuliani (Milan), Katja Schroffenegger (Fiorentina);

Defenders: Elisa Bartoli (Roma), Valentina Bergamaschi (Milan), Lisa Boattin (Juventus), Lucia Di Guglielmo (Roma), Maria Luisa Filangeri (Sassuolo), Sara Gama (Juventus), Martina Lenzini (Juventus), Elena Linari (Roma), Angelica Soffia (Roma);

Midfielders: Arianna Caruso (Juventus), Valentina Cernoia (Juventus), Aurora Galli (Everton), Manuela Giugliano (Roma), Giada Greggi (Roma), Martina Rosucci (Juventus);

Attackers: Barbara Bonansea (Juventus), Tatiana Bonetti (Inter), Agnese Bonfantini (Juventus), Cristiana Girelli (Juventus), Benedetta Glionna (Roma), Martina Piemonte (Milan), Daniela Sabatino (Fiorentina), *Annamaria Serturini (Roma).

*will join the squad after completing her period of self-isolation

Schedule (all times CEST)

Sunday 3 April
Players meet at Coverciano

Monday 4 April
10:30 Training/Gym
13:45 Head coach press conference
16:30 Training

Tuesday 5 April
10:30 Training
16:30 Training

Wednesday 6 April
10:30 Training
16:30 Travel to Parma

Thursday 7 April
16:30 Head coach and captain press conference
17:30 Training at the Stadio Ennio Tardini (open to the press for the first 15 minutes)

Friday 8 April
19:00 ITALY VS. LITHUANIA

Saturday 9 April
11:30 Training

Domenica 10 aprile
10:30 Training
17:30 Flight from Parma to Bern and travel to Thun

Monday 11 April
17:45 Training at the Stockhorn Arena (open to the press for the first 15 minutes)

Tuesday 12 April
17:45 SWITZERLAND VS. ITALY

Wednesday 13 April
10:30 Return to Italy