A final training session for the National Under 17s, who, after the 2-0 defeat against Serbia at the Hidegkuti Nándor Stadium in Budapest, now have a last chance to reach the quarter-finals of the European Championships. The Azzurrini, currently in last place in Group B with 0 points, will face Slovenia on Wednesday 24 May at 17:00 CEST at the Telki Training Centre in Telki (live on television on Rai Sport and live streaming on UEFA.tv) with the need to win by at least three goals and with the hope that, at the same time, Spain will beat Serbia at the BSC Stadium in Budaörs. Ahead of the match against the Slovenian outfit, coach Bernardo Corradi will have to do without midfielder Francesco Crapisto (Juventus), who has been suspended due to the two yellow cards he received in the previous matches against Spain and Serbia.

"Regardless of the result in the other game," Corradi is keen to specify, "we have one last game to honour the shirt. I'd be sad not to win at least one match in the group stage, so let's think about doing that, maybe with enough goals that, should a certain result occur in the other game, we can qualify, but it's obviously a very difficult situation."

"Much of the growth of these boys," continued the Azzurri coach, "both from a footballing and character point of view, comes from experiences like these. The matches do not always go in the direction one expects, especially in the result, but this must not change in any way the approach to training and matches in respect of themselves and the shirt they are wearing. Let's not forget that we are here to represent Italy."

Opponents. Slovenia, after finishing Group 1 of the qualifying phase in second place with four points (the same as Kazakhstan, against whom they drew 0-0, but with a better goal difference: 0 vs. -2) behind Portugal with full points, finished Group 7 of the elite phase with the same result: second place with four points, the same as Norway, who they beat 1-0 in the direct match (defender Relja Obrić, born in 2006, from Atalanta, played the decisive role), thus qualifying for the final phase of the event in Hungary. Their most decorated player is midfielder Luka Topalović from Domžale, who has made 10 appearances, collecting one goal and one assist in the Prva Liga this season. In the list of players called up by Mišo Brečko, a former professional footballer with a past in Germany (Hamburg and Koln among many others), there are also three players from Italy: the aforementioned Relja Obrić, midfielder David Pejičić from Udinese (2007) and defender Lovro Golič from Roma (2006). The latter, captain of Slovenia, will compete for a place in the quarters against club-mate Mattia Mannini, captain of the Azzurrini.

The Squad

Goalkeepers: Tommaso Martinelli (Fiorentina), Diego Mascardi (Spezia);
Defenders: Alessandro Bassino (Juventus), Matteo Cocchi (Inter), Vittorio Magni (AC Milan), Filippo Pagnucco (Juventus), Gabriel Ramaj (Atalanta), Edoardo Sadotti (Fiorentina), Giorgio Vezzosi (Sassuolo);
Midfielders: Francesco Crapisto (Juventus), Giacomo De Pieri (Inter), Mattia Mannini (Roma), Leonardo Mendicino (Atalanta), Lorenzo Riccio (Atalanta), Marco Romano (Genoa);
Attackers: Seydou Fini (Genoa), Mattia Liberali (Milan), Federico Ragnoli Galli (Atalanta), Emanuele Rao (Spal), Tommaso Ravaglioli (Bologna).

Fixtures

Group B: Spain 6, Slovenia 3, Serbia 3, ITALY 0.

Matchday 1 (Thursday 18 May)
Serbia 2-4 Slovenia
ITALY 1-2 Spain

Matchday 2 (Sunday 21 May)
Spain 3-1 Slovenia
Serbia 2-0 ITALY

Matchday 3 (Wednesday 24 May)
Spain vs. Serbia (17:00 CEST, BSC Stadium in Budaörs)
Slovenia vs. ITALY (17:00 CEST, Telki Training Centre in Telki)

Quarter-finals (Saturday 27 May)

Under 17 World Cup playoff (Tuesday 30 May)

Semi-finals (Tuesday 30 May)

Final (Friday 2 June)