Milena Bertolini’s National Team are continuing their preparations for the Algarve Cup semi-final in Vilamoura. On Saturday at 21:00 local time (22:00 Italian time, live on RaiSport) at the ‘De Bela Vista’ stadium in Parchal, the Azzurre will face New Zealand, a formidable opponent who are currently ranked 23rd in the FIFA ranking and who have won both of their previous encounters against Italy in 2010 and 2013.

In the game against the ‘Football Ferns’, the New Zealand women’s team nickname, the Azzurre will have to take to the pitch with a different attitude than in their first match. “Our approach was wrong against Portugal, while we managed to improve and overturn the result in the second half,” Milena Bertolini said before finishing training. “Tomorrow we will have to start well from the very first minute and I’ve told the girls to play with the right attitude.”

The coach, who will once again be without Manuela Giugliano, who is still struggling with a bruised right ankle and remains a doubt for the third match of the tournament, knows that to reach the final the team must play with intensity and quality, while at the same time curtailing their opponents’ physicality. “They’re a compact and very aggressive team,” she added. “At the World Cup in France they didn’t collect points, but they did manage to trouble a great team like Holland, who only managed to find a winner in the dying minutes of the game. We have to demonstrate our excellent technical abilities, because from a physical point of view they’ll have more than us.”

In the last match against New Zealand, which took place seven years ago in the Cyprus Cup and ended 2-0 to the Football Ferns, Daniela Sabatino took to the pitch and she could celebrate her 70th appearance for the Azzurre in the upcoming match: “It’s an important achievement that fills me with pride,” the forward emphasised. “We want to win tomorrow and convince those who follow the Italian National Team of our quality. They have some good individuals, but if we play our best, we can trouble any team.”

In the other semi-final, Germany will face Norway in Lagos at 17:30 local time. Tomorrow’s other games, which will determine the last four positions in the tournament, will see Belgium play Portugal and Sweden face Denmark.

Squad list
Goalkeepers: Laura Giuliani (Juventus), Rachele Baldi (Empoli Ladies), Katja Schroffenegger (Florentia San Gimignano);
Defenders: Sara Gama (Juventus), Cecilia Salvai (Juventus), Alia Guagni (Fiorentina Women’s), Elena Linari (Atletico Madrid), Martina Lenzini (Sassuolo), Elisa Bartoli (AS Roma), Lisa Boattin (Juventus), Alice Tortelli (Fiorentina Women’s);
Midfielders: Manuela Giugliano (AS Roma), Valentina Cernoia (Juventus), Aurora Galli (Juventus), Martina Rosucci (Juventus), Marta Mascarello (Fiorentina Women’s), Arianna Caruso (Juventus);
Forwards: Cristiana Girelli (Juventus), Daniela Sabatino (Sassuolo), Agnese Bonfantini (AS Roma), Barbara Bonansea (Juventus), Tatiana Bonetti (Fiorentina Women’s), Stefania Tarenzi (FC Inter).

Schedule
Friday 6 March
18:00 – Training

Saturday 7 March
21:00 (22:00 Italian time) – New Zealand vs. Italy (live on. RaiSport, Italy)