Today the FIGC released the official list of players who will take part in the second qualifying phase of the Under-19 European Championship scheduled in Bremen from 22 to 28 March. There are 20 Azzurrini called up by Alberto Bollini, all born in 2004 except Filippo Calixte Mane, Borussia Dortmund defender, Luca Lipani, Genoa midfielder and Francesco Esposito of Inter, born in 2005. In the group, there are three youngsters who play abroad: Fabio Christian Chiarodia, who will play at home as he plays for Werder Bremen and Filippo Calixte Mane, born in Magenta, of Senegalese origin, plays in Germany but for Borussia Dortmund: both are central defenders and were key players last year in Tel Aviv in the final phase of the European Under-17 Championship with Bernardo Corradi. The last of the three is Warrick Daeovie Koleosho, of Nigerian origin, Italian on his mother's side, a striker at Espanyol of Barcelona.

The meeting for the Azzurrini is scheduled for Sunday evening (12 March) at the 'Giulio Onesti' Olympic Preparation Centre at Acquacetosa in Rome. The next day, from Fiumicino, the Azzurro group will fly to Bremen, the venue of this elite phase.

Italy is in group 2 together with hosts Germany, Slovenia and Belgium, a decidedly difficult group in which Bollini's lads will have to finish first in order to go through to the final stages of the continental tournament scheduled in Malta from 3 to 16 July. The opening match will be against the Germans on 22 March (live streaming on the FIGC website from 12 noon; there will be no others), followed by the match against Slovenia on 25 March and the final match against Belgium on 28 March: all three matches will kick off at 12:00 CET.

 

Alberto Bollini does not play down the challenges: "A tough group, in Germany, against the hosts who have at least five players who play or have made their debut in the Bundesliga in their team; then there is Belgium, whose technical quality we know, and Slovenia, a team that is always difficult to face. We were certainly disadvantaged by the outcome of the first qualifying phase during which we lost only the first match against Estonia (2-0) playing very well and conceding two fatal kick-off goals. We then won against Bosnia (3-2) and Poland (1-0) and, I have to say, I am very satisfied with our progress during which the chemistry and compactness of the whole group, including the staff who worked excellently, was consolidated. Our goal is still to qualify and we will do everything to achieve this result. But we hope, as we did last year, that this experience will also contribute to the individual growth of the boys, so as to take them to the highest levels of competition, up to the major national team, which for us is the ultimate goal”.

Italy come into this fixture after finishing the first phase at the top of Group 5 on equal points (6) with Poland and Estonia but, by virtue of the tournament, finishing third and subsequently going through as the best third-ranked team in the other 13 groups.

Travelling with the squad is a school tutor who, thanks to the agreement between the FIGC and the University of Foro Italico dedicated to long-distance travel, will support the youngsters in their studies.

Squad list

Goalkeepers: Davide Mastrantonio (Triestina), Lorenzo Palmisani (Frosinone);

Defenders: Fabio Christian Chiarodia (Werder Bremen), Lorenzo Dellavalle (Juventus), Michael Olabode Ayode (Fiorentina), Filippo Calixte Mane (Borussia Dortmund), Filippo Missori (Roma), Iacopo Regonesi (Atalanta), Riccardo Stivanello (Bologna);

Midfielders: Lorenzo Amatucci (Fiorentina), Giacomo Faticanti (Roma), Justin Kumi (Sassuolo), Luca Lipani (Genoa), Niccolò Pisilli (Roma);

Forwards: Luca D’andrea (Sassuolo), Francesco Esposito ( Inter), Luis Hasa (Juventus), Luca Warrick Daeovie Koleosho (Espanyol), Antonio Raimondo (Bologna), Samuele Vignato (Monza).

Staff: Coach, Alberto Bollini;  National Youth Coordinator, Maurizio Viscidi; Trip-leader, Evaristo Beccalossi; Assistant coach, Enrico Battisti; Goalkeeper coach, Graziano Vinti; Athletic trainer, Marco Montini; Match Analyst, Francesco Donzella; Doctors, Paolo Manetti and Andrea Redler; Nutritionist, Micol Purrotti; Physiotherapists, Giuliano Gepponi and Tommaso Cannata; Press Officer, Giuseppe Ingrati; Academic Tutor, Giorgio Orlando; Secretary, Luca Gatto.

Group 2 Fixtures

Wednesday 22 March

Germany vs ITALY, 12:00 CET,  Weser Stadion Platz 11, Brema

Belgium vs Slovenia, 16:00 CET, BSA Obervieland, Brema

Saturday 25 March

Slovenia vs ITALY, 12:00 CET, Stadion Obervieland di Brema

Germania-Belgio, 16:00 CET, Sportplatz Vinnenweg di Brema

Tuesday 28 March

ITALY vs Belgium, 12:00 CET, Marko Mock Arena Oberneuland di Brema

Slovenia vs Germany, 12:00 CET, Weserstadion Platz 11 di Brema