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Silvio Baldini was all smiles as he got the Italy Under-21s’ preparations underway at the Olympic Preparation Centre in Tirrenia. Having guided the Azzurrini to the European Championship finals, and with their opponents to be revealed at the draw in Belgrade on 26 November, the Tuscan coach was reunited with ‘his boys’, as he likes to call them, to prepare for two friendlies against France and Belgium. Italy will first travel to Laval to face France on Friday 13 November (18:30 CET, live on Rai 2), before rounding off the week’s work on Monday 16 November at the Armando Picchi Stadium in Livorno, where they will host Belgium.
AMPUTEE NATIONAL TEAM. Before taking to the pitch for training, the Azzurrini met the members of the Amputee National Team, who will leave for Mexico tomorrow ahead of the World Cup, which runs from Friday 13 to Sunday 22 November. Italy are in Group A alongside hosts Mexico, Liberia and Algeria. Baldini and Antognoni greeted the team and wished them well for the tournament, reminding them that football belongs to everyone.
BALDINI SPEAKS. “The group is more or less the same,” Baldini explained at his press conference in Tirrenia. “Most of these players have already been with us in the Under-21s. We approach these two games knowing that there are no friendlies when you play for the national team. Wearing the Azzurri shirt means carrying the honour and pride of our country, our culture and our roots. We represent Italy and must always give our very best. I’m absolutely convinced the boys will do well. There’s great enthusiasm and a real desire to be together. That spirit already tells you a lot about this group, which I consider exceptionally strong.” Mancini has made extensive use of the Under-21 squad when selecting his senior team. “I’m delighted with the players who have been called up. In recent years, there was a big gap between the Under-21s and the senior national team, but we’ve managed to close it. We now have an A team and a B team, and both are competitive. The head coach can take anyone from our squad at any time and find players who are already ready.”
MANNINI JOINS THE SQUAD. Dominic Vavassori remains under assessment due to flu symptoms. As a precaution, Baldini had already called up Ascoli’s Simone D’Uffizi, who receives his first-ever call-up to the Azzurri. Mattia Mannini of Benevento has also joined the squad today. “I believe this team has already reached a very good level. We must maintain our ability to produce these performances over time. There is always room for improvement, and we can achieve that through continuity and consistency in our work. It sounds easy, but putting it into practice is much harder.” Many have credited Baldini with giving opportunities to so many young players. The Tuscan coach, however, is quick to acknowledge the role of circumstance: “I’ve been fortunate to be in the right place at the right time and to say things that have come true. The young players are there; what it takes is the courage to give them their chance. I feel rewarded to have helped people understand that young players are not a problem but a resource. “Someone once told me that you don’t teach what you know, you teach who you are. I identify with that phrase. With the players, I’ve always tried to be myself, without holding back when it comes to saying what I think. Young players are the lifeblood of our football. I threw myself into this adventure with great enthusiasm, and being the Under-21 coach has given me enormous satisfaction. At my age, there’s no need to waste time hiding behind clichés or politically convenient statements.”
TICKETS. Tickets for the Italy vs. Belgium game in Livorno are now on sale. They can be purchased via ticketing.figc.it, with prices starting at €5 and special offers available for young fans and over-65s.
THE SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Giovanni Daffara (Parma), Diego Mascardi (Torino), Lorenzo Palmisani (Frosinone), Massimo Pessina (Bologna);
Defenders: Davide Bartesaghi (Milan), Gabriele Calvani (Frosinone), Fabio Chiarodia (Borussia M’Gladbach), Pietro Comuzzo (Torino), Eddy Kouadio (Monza), Emanuele Lulli (Roma), Filippo Mane (Borussia Dortmund), Brando Moruzzi (Avellino);
Midfielders: Lorenzo Amatucci (Deportivo La Coruna), Tommaso Berti (Cremonese), Matteo Cichella (Frosinone), Matteo Dagasso (Venezia), Giacomo Faticanti (Avellino), Luca Lipani (Sassuolo), Cher Ndour (Fiorentina);
Forwards: Alessio Cacciamani (Torino), Francesco Camarda (AC Milan), Luigi Cherubini (Benevento), Jeff Ekhator (Juventus), Seydou Fini (Frosinone), Samuele Inacio (Borussia Dortmund), Dominic Vavassori (Palermo).
