Don't call it ‘mission impossible’. After their final training session at Coverciano this morning, the Azzurre will set off on their Scandinavian trip this afternoon. Coming up for Coach Soncin’s girls are their third and fourth Nations League fixtures, first against Sweden (19:00 CEST on Friday 4 April) and then against Denmark (18:00 CEST on Tuesday 8 April).

Securing their first victory on the road against one of these two Scandinavian would be a decisive step towards staying in League A, with the Azzurre hoping to avoid having to negotiate the relegation play-offs to do so. To achieve this, Italy must finish at least second in Group 4, a position they currently share with Denmark, who, however, hold an advantage thanks to their 3-1 win in La Spezia on 25 February.

Andrea Soncin's team know they can come away with maximum points against any side and are aiming to replicate the feats achieved at the end of 2023 and 2024, when they triumphed away to world champions Spain (3-2) and Germany (2-1). In their most recent encounter with Sweden, who have won 16 out of 27 meetings between the sides, the Azzurre were just seconds away from victory. 

That match allowed the Azzurre to gain confidence and make them even more aware of their qualities, feelings they will carry with them to Solna, where Sweden previously beat Italy 5-0 in 2003. At 17:45 CEST tomorrow, the team will put the finishing touches to their preparations at Friday’s venue, the largest in Scandinavia and third-largest indoor stadium in Europe. Around 20,000 fans are expected to attend to support the hosts, but the Azzurre are unfazed. Soncin’s side are ready for another magical night away from home, and they will then set their sights on making history in Denmark, a team they have never beaten in six previous encounters. However, for now, all thoughts are on Friday’s showdown.

SQUAD LIST

Goalkeepers: Rachele Baldi (Inter), Camilla Forcinella (Genoa), Laura Giuliani (Milan), Margot Shore (Bologna);
Defenders: Valentina Bergamaschi (Juventus), Lisa Boattin (Juventus), Lucia Di Guglielmo (Roma), Maria Luisa Filangeri (Fiorentina), Martina Lenzini (Juventus), Elena Linari (Roma), Elisabetta Oliviero (Lazio), Julie Piga (Milan), Cecilia Salvai (Juventus), Angelica Soffia (Milan);
Midfielders: Arianna Caruso (Bayern Munich), Manuela Giugliano (Roma), Eleonora Goldoni (Lazio), Marta Pandini (Roma), Eva Schatzer (Juventus), Annamaria Serturini (Inter), Emma Severini (Fiorentina), Flaminia Simonetti (Lazio);
Forwards: Chiara Beccari (Juventus), Agnese Bonfantini (Fiorentina), Michela Cambiaghi (Inter), Sofia Cantore (Juventus), Valentina Giacinti (Roma), Cristiana Girelli (Juventus), Martina Piemonte (Lazio).

CALENDAR, RESULTS AND TABLE GROUP 4 (League A)

Matchday 1: ITALY 1-0 Wales, Denmark 1-2 Sweden

Matchday 2: ITALY 1-3 Denmark, Wales 1-1 Sweden

Table: Sweden 4 points, Denmark and Italy 3, Wales 1

Matchday 3 (4 April): Sweden vs. ITALY (19:00 CEST, Solna), Wales vs. Denmark
Matchday 4 (8 April): Denmark vs. ITALY (18 CEST, Herning), Sweden vs. Wales
Matchday 5 (30 May): ITALY vs. Sweden, Denmark vs. Wales
Matchday 6 (3 June): Wales vs. ITALY, Sweden vs. Denmark