Hoping to move past last month’s narrow 1–0 defeat against Spain in Las Rozas, the Under-18 national team, who were also bronze medalists at the most recent World Cup held in Qatar last November, are returning to action for two friendlies against Ukraine. The games are scheduled for Tuesday, 17 February (14:30 CET) and Thursday, 19 February (11:00 CET) at the Riano Athletic Center in Riano, near Rome.

Head coach Massimiliano Favo has called up 28 players, all born in 2008, apart from two 2009-born players: Sampdoria defender Karim Diop and Juventus forward Destiny Onoguekhan Elimoghale. The Azzurrini will gather on Sunday evening in Riano.

SQUAD LIST

Goalkeepers: Renato Widmer D’Autilia (Basel), Alessandro Longoni (AC Milan)

Defenders: Benit Borasio (Juventus), Leonardo Noah Bovio (Inter), Tommaso Casadei (Cesena), Cristian Costabile (Sassuolo), Karim Diop (Sampdoria), Dauda Amihere Iddrisa (West Bromwich Albion), Jean-Tryfose Mambuku (Stade de Reims), David Marini (Cesena), Davide Pavesi (Cremonese), Alessandro Perrotti (Fiorentina)

Midfielders: Andrea Ballanti (Torino), Alessio Baralla (Como), Christian Dottori (Perugia), Mattia Esposito (Sorrento), Giuseppe Forte (AS Roma), Luca Lo Monaco (Bologna), Valerio Maccaroni (Roma), Edoardo Mariani (Vis Pesaro), Antonio Pirrò (Fiorentina), Vincenzo Prisco (Napoli), Marco Tiozzo Pagio (Juventus)

Forwards: Destiny Onoguekhan Elimoghale (Juventus), Gabriele Falasca (Torino), Christian Fogliaro (Monza), Lorenzo Paratici (Roma), Francesco Reita (Monza)

STAFF: Coach: Massimiliano Favo, Youth National Teams Coordinator: Maurizio Viscidi, Goalkeeping Coordinator: Gaetano Petrelli, Assistant Coach: Davide Cei, Goalkeeper Coach: Davide Quironi, Fitness Coach: Adalberto Zamuner, Match Analyst: Andrea Loiacono, Doctors: Sofia Calaciura Clarich, Alessandro Carducci, Physiotherapist: Giorgio Giannini, Secretary: Massimo Petracchini