Four months on, it’s as though not a single day has passed. With this spirit, the work of Italy U21 has resumed, as the team gathered this morning at the Centro di Preparazione Olimpica di Tirrenia to prepare for the European Qualifiers against North Macedonia and Sweden. The Azzurrini will play on Thursday 26, at the Stadio Carlo Castellani in Empoli (18:15 CET, live on Rai 2) and on Tuesday 31, in Borås (18:30 CET, again on Rai 2) for the seventh and eighth matches of a campaign aimed at securing qualification for the 2027 tournament in Albania and Serbia.

GYM SESSION AND PISILLI. These are important days for Italian football. Just a few kilometres from Tirrenia, the senior national team has also gathered, bringing with it all the significance of the World Cup play-off matches: at Coverciano there is also a touch of the recent Italy U21 side, with Palestra and Niccolò Pisilli who, after impressing with the Azzurrini and performing well with Cagliari Calcio and AS Roma, received the call-up from Gennaro Gattuso. “For us, it’s a success,” said Silvio Baldini in the press conference. “It means we have contributed to their development. After all, in September, no one would have thought they would be ready for these play-offs. All of this makes us proud, because it shows we are on the right path.”

GATTUSO AND THE WORLD CUP. Compared to the start of the qualifiers, Baldini will have a more mature squad at his disposal: “Players like Luca Lipani, Davide Bartesaghi and Venturino have gained playing time in Serie A, showing that they belong at the top level. Regardless of that, we have a very strong and mature group. Absences and injuries are part of the game, and we must make the most of the situation without losing our spirit and positive energy. We must not forget that our main goal is to bring as many players as possible to the senior national team. In that respect, we are all supporting them: I have spoken with Gennaro Gattuso and Gianluigi Buffon in recent days. They are used to this kind of pressure, great champions who have played in major matches. They know they carry a big responsibility, but we are all behind them, and I believe there are no better people to achieve qualification. I am not just confident, I am absolutely convinced that Italy will go to the World Cup.”

NEW CALL-UPS. Returning to the squad selection, Silvio Baldini commented on the first call-up for Honest Ahanor: “He will have to make himself available to the group and try to do his best. The important thing is that he shows a sense of belonging to the group and to Club Italia, regardless of whether he plays or not.” In recent matches, Lorenzo Palmisani has consistently started in goal, but competition from Edoardo Motta, who has been getting minutes with SS Lazio in Serie A, is growing: “We have three strong goalkeepers, with Giovanni Daffara receiving his first call-up. We will have to consider what we see on the pitch and the responses we get. At the moment, they all have the chance to start, regardless of whether they play in Serie A or Serie B.”

WORK ON YOUTH DEVELOPMENT. Beyond the four new additions, the core of the squad remains the same: “They already know what I expect and what I want from them, and above all they know the spirit they must have when representing the national team. Even this morning, starting work in the gym, I saw a positive atmosphere. They are happy to be here and to be together again, and that will make it easier for the newcomers to integrate. Many of them have come through the youth national teams: the work carried out by Club Italia is fundamental, otherwise the growth and development of these players, which is gradual and of a high level, would not be possible.”

SQUAD LIST

Goalkeepers: Giovanni Daffara (US Avellino), Edoardo Motta (SS Lazio), Lorenzo Palmisani (Frosinone Calcio)

Defenders: Honest Ahanor (Atalanta BC), Davide Bartesaghi (AC Milan), Gabriele Calvani (Frosinone Calcio), Fabio Chiarodia (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Pietro Comuzzo (ACF Fiorentina), Costantino Favasuli (US Catanzaro), Gabriele Guarino (Empoli FC), Mattia Mannini (Juve Stabia), Brando Moruzzi (Empoli FC)

Midfielders: Tommaso Berti (Cesena FC), Matteo Dagasso (Venezia FC), Giacomo Faticanti (Juventus FC), Luca Lipani (US Sassuolo), Cher Ndour (ACF Fiorentina), Lorenzo Venturino (AS Roma)

Forwards: Alessio Cacciamani (Juve Stabia), Luigi Cherubini (UC Sampdoria), Jeff Ekhator (Genoa CFC), Seydou Fini (Frosinone Calcio), Luca Koleosho (Paris FC), Antonio Raimondo (Frosinone Calcio)