A spontaneous round of applause broke out when he entered the main hall at Coverciano. The applause was to congratulate the new European Champion, Gianluigi Donnarumma. 

He is the captain of the National Team and the point of reference during this delicate phase, with continuous injuries. Matteo Gabbia is the latest player to drop out of the squad. Daniele Rugani has been called up to replace him, returning to the National Team seven years after his last appearance for the National Team (the friendly against The Netherlands in Turin). 

Donnarumma explained: "We're not panicking about the absentees, there's tension in the air because it will be an important match, one that we will need to win because our place at the World Cup is at stake". 

The World Cup is around the corner, and is an event that Italian football has missed since 2014: "We have to go to the World Cup, all together. The players and the fans. We need to feel the love from all of Italy and we know that, in Norway, even if they're not physically with us, the fans will be nearby. We're a strong team, with a great Coach and what I want to say to the fans is that they need to trust this team". 

The Champions League win was an extraordinary moment for 'Gigio': "the best moment of my career. There were difficult moments in a moral sense, because it's not easy to return to Italy and not be welcomed like you deserve. But now, I am happy to have found trust again and to have the support of the nation. I struggled to fully enjoy the win in Munich, because there were a few of my brothers on the other team who suffered. I had a hug with them at the end of the match which was really heartfelt". 

Friday's match against a Norway side that will be “physically strong, that will try to find space in the area of the opposition. We will need to be calm and work well as a team. In terms of myself, I try to bring a level head and experience into the team so that we can try to give everything on the pitch, together". 

The officials for the match in Oslo. UEFA has confirmed the officials for the match in Norway: José Maria Sanchez will be the referee, helped by his assistants Raul Cabanero and Inigo Prieto. The fourth official will be Juan Martinez Munuera.

Squad list

Goalkeepers: Marco Carnesecchi (Atalanta), Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain), Alex Meret (Napoli)
Defenders:  Alessandro Bastoni (Inter), Andrea Cambiaso (Juventus), Diego Coppola (Hellas Verona), Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli), Federico Dimarco (Inter), Federico Gatti (Juventus), Luca Ranieri (Fiorentina), Daniele Rugani (Juventus), Destiny Udogie (Tottenham), Davide Zappacosta (Atalanta);
Midfielders: Nicolò Barella (Inter), Cesare Casadei (Torino), Davide Frattesi (Inter), Samuele Ricci (Torino), Nicolò Rovella (Lazio), Sandro Tonali (Newcastle);
Forwards: Moise Kean (Fiorentina), Lorenzo Lucca (Udinese), Daniel Maldini (Atalanta), Riccardo Orsolini (Bologna), Giacomo Raspadori (Napoli), Mateo Retegui (Atalanta).