The Azzurrini now turn their attention to Montenegro, back in action on Tuesday in Nikšić.

category:

PHOTO

The defeat in Szczecin, after four consecutive wins, brought Baldini’s side’s positive run to an end. Until the 83rd minute, the Azzurrini were still hoping for six straight European Championship victories set by the teams of Azeglio Vicini (achieved twice between 1982–84 and 1991–92) and Claudio Gentile (2002–03). Considering the first five matches of every Under-21 coach from 1969 to today, Baldini sits fifth, with twelve points, on par level with Devis Mangia and Luigi Di Biagio. Only Marco Tardelli, the only coach to win all five (15 points), and Claudio Gentile, Ciro Ferrara, and Paolo Nicolato, who all began with four wins and a draw (13 points), have done better in their opening five games.

There’s little time to dwell on the defeat: on Tuesday, at the “City Stadium” in Nikšić (18:15 CET), the campaign continues with the start of the return fixtures, with Montenegro, beaten 2–1 in the opener in La Spezia on 5 September, again the opponents. Today and tomorrow, the Under-21s will train at the Olympic Preparation Centre in Tirrenia, where the squad returned last night. On Monday, before traveling to Podgorica on Monday.

THE DEBUT.
One of the positives from Friday’s match, besides the performance itself, was the Under-21 debut of Catanzaro forward Alphadjo Cissè, who played the final 15 minutes in place of Francesco Camarda. After seven appearances and one goal between the Under-18 and Under-19 teams, Baldini gave him his first call-up at this level, making him the ninth Catanzaro player to feature for the Under-21s. Before him came Massimo Mauro (1980, the only one born in Catanzaro), Costanzo Celestini and Edi Bivi (1981), Carlo Borghi and Pietro Mariani (1982), Giuseppe Ambrosino di Bruttopilo (2023), and Davide Veroli and Riccardo Turicchia (2024). Two others made it to the Under-21 squad without debuting: Giovanni Cervone (1983, on the bench for four games) and Costantino Favasuli (2025, called up by Baldini in September but never named in the match squad). Commenting on his debut today, Cissè said: “It wasn’t the debut I imagined, but it was an honour to wear the Under-21 shirt for the first time. It’s a shame because I had a chance to score, it would’ve been incredible, but I’m sure there will be other opportunities.”

That opportunity may come as soon as Tuesday against Montenegro: “It’ll be an important match, just like all the games in this group. We’re training well, we’re a strong and united team, and I’m sure we’ll turn things around right away.” The spotlight has certainly been on Cissè in recent weeks: in October, he was called up for the first time by Baldini, then he was recognised as Serie B Player of the Month, thanks partly to his goals against Monza, Palermo, and Mantova (five in total this season), and yesterday, he made his debut with the Under-21s. He added, “Going to Catanzaro was the right decision. I’ve had the consistency that I lacked last year at Verona. But now, like all my teammates, we want to show what we can do.”

AZZURRINI NUMBERS.
Baldini has played 26 players across the first five matches (from 37 called up), with Lipani still the most-used, having played all 540 minutes. Pisilli is on par with Camarda as the team’s top scorer this season with three goals, including last night’s, making it his fourth for the Under-21s and seventh overall in Azzurri colours (adding three at Under-19 level).

Disciplinary issues are also growing: 18 yellow cards (an average of 3.6 per game) and three reds. Yesterday, Koleosho, Moruzzi, and Fortini were all sent off. On Tuesday, both Koleosho and Palestra, who are suspended after their third booking, will be unavailable and have returned to their clubs today. Fortini, who didn’t play yesterday, is a potential contender now.