At the Ciudad del Fútbol in Las Rozas, the U18s kicked off 2024 with a 0-0 stalemate against Spain after Italy’s U19s had lost 3-0 to their Spanish counterparts at Coverciano earlier on in the afternoon.

“I’m very happy with the lads’ attitude,” said Head Coach Daniele Franceschini. “They took to the pitch with real character and the desire to dominate play. We probably deserved a little bit more in the first half, but, on the whole, we can say it was a 0-0 draw between two sides who tried to get at each other.”

THE MATCH. Italy started on the front foot and, after long-range efforts from Francesco Crapisto (Juventus) and Valdes Ngana (Juventus), came close to scoring on a couple of occasions, first through AC Milan’s Adam Bakoune (a header just after the half-hour mark) and then through Fiorentina’s Maat Daniel Caprini (whose shot from close range was blocked by Jon Martín). In the second half, the only real opportunity of note fell the way of Cordero, whose header was turned behind for a corner by Spezia’s Francesco Saverio Plaia following Óscar Marcos’ cross from the left.

Squad list

Goalkeepers: Diego Mascardi (Spezia), Francesco Saverio Plaia (Spezia);
Defenders: Adam Bakoune (Milan), Niccolò Fortini (Fiorentina), Eddy Nda Konan Kouadio (Fiorentina), Filippo Pagnucco (Juventus), Matteo Giuseppe Plaia (AS Roma), Gabriel Ramaj (Atalanta), Edoardo Sadotti (Fiorentina), Alessandro Ventre (Sampdoria);
Midfielders: Andrea Bonanomi (Atalanta), Francesco Crapisto (Juventus), Giacomo De Pieri (Inter), Gabriele Finocchiaro (Juventus), Luigi Forciniti (Empoli), Leonardo Mendicino (Atalanta), Valdes Ngana (Juventus), Mattia Zanchetta (Inter);
Forwards: Maat Daniel Caprini (Fiorentina), Flippo Scotti (Milan)*, Diego Sia (Milan), Matteo Spinaccè (Inter).

*called up to replace the unavailable Seydou Fini (Genoa).

Staff – Head Coach: Daniele Franceschini; Assistant Coach: Enrico Battisti; Goalkeeping Coach: Stefano Baroncini; Fitness Coach: Enrico Ghielmetti; Match Analyst: Gianluca Mazziotti; Doctors: Cosma Calderaro and Francesco Cuccaro; Physiotherapist: Andrea Cantera; Secretary: Guglielmo Cammino.