As two members of the squad currently at Coverciano, both Federica Chiesa and Nicolò Barella are focused on shared objectives. They are to beat Greece and Bosnia in the Azzurri’s upcoming Euro 2020 qualifiers, while also succeeding at the Under-21 European Championship on home soil. The two youngsters are both currently training with the National Team although will soon travel to Formello to join their teammates ahead of the first-ever Under-21 tournament in Italy.

“Two important matches await the National Team,” said Chiesa during his debut press conference for the Azzurri. “Winning both of them would be fantastic, as would winning the Under-21 European Championship. We’ll be trying our hardest to do so. In the meantime, we’re focused on these upcoming games in Athens and Turin. We’ve settled on a style of play and Mancini has helped us to embrace this style. Since the match against Ukraine, we’ve been precise in our play. We’re on a path that I’m sure will gift us great success. It’ll be tough against Greece, they’re one of the most difficult obstacles in our group and we’ll need to play with great intensity.”

After these two fixtures, Chiesa will join up an Under-21 side that hasn’t secured a European title since 2004. Within that squad were players who went on to triumph at the World Cup two years later, such as De Rossi, Barzagli, Gilardino and Zaccardo: “The victory in 2004 proved to be a good omen. Let’s hope that we can take the same path.”

Much like Chiesa, his teammate Barella is also aiming for more than just goal: “It’ll be a difficult match against Greece,” he said. “They like to keep the ball, we’ll try to create space in between the lines and look for through balls. We have some top players who can determine any game and help us win. Over the past few months, we’ve had the chance to understand Mancini’s style of play better – one that brings great results. The Coach gives us confidence and allows us to play. The midfield that he went for was a gamble that paid off. There’s great quality between Jorginho and Verratti and they can pass the ball really well. It’s a pleasure to play alongside them.” As for his Azzurrini ambitions, Barella continued: “Many of those taking part in the European Championship have already been called up for the National Team and they’re also playing regularly at their respective clubs. We’re a good side and we’ll be looking to win it. My dream is to lift the World Cup and maybe in time we’ll manage to achieve this.”

Squad
Goalkeepers: Alessio Cragno (Cagliari), Pierluigi Gollini (Atalanta); Salvatore Sirigu (Torino), Antonio Mirante (Roma);
Defenders: Francesco Acerbi (Lazio), Cristiano Biraghi (Fiorentina), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Mattia De Sciglio (Juventus), Emerson Palmieri (Chelsea), Alessandro Florenzi (Roma), Armando Izzo (Torino), Gianluca Mancini (Atalanta), Alessio Romagnoli (Milan), Leonardo Spinazzola (Juventus);
Midfielders: Nicolò Barella (Cagliari), Federico Bernardeschi (Juventus), Bryan Cristante (Roma), Frello Filho Jorge Luiz Jorginho (Chelsea), Lorenzo Pellegrini (Roma), Stefano Sensi (Sassuolo), Marco Verratti (Paris Saint Germain), Nicolò Zaniolo (Roma);
Forwards: Andrea Belotti (Torino), Federico Chiesa (Fiorentina), Stephan El Shaarawy (Roma), Vincenzo Grifo (Friburgo), Ciro Immobile (Lazio), Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli), Moise Kean (Juventus), Leonardo Pavoletti (Cagliari), Fabio Quagliarella (Sampdoria).

Staff – Head Coach: Roberto Mancini; National Team Coordintaor: Gabriele Oriali; Assistant Coaches: Alberico Evani, Attilio Lombardo, Giulio Nuciari, Fausto Salsano; Fitness coaches: Claudio Donatelli and Andrea Scanavino; Goalkeeping coach: Massimo Battara; Match Analyst: Antonio Gagliardi; Doctors: Andrea Ferretti and Carmine Costabile; Physiotherapist: Maurizio Fagorzi, Emanuele Randelli, Fabrizio Scalzi, Luca Lascialfari, Fabio Sannino; Hosteopath: Walter Marinelli; Nutritionist: Matteo Pincella.
Squad schedule and media commitments

Wednesday 5 June
10:00 Training (closed door)
13:30 Press conference (players)
18:30 Training (first 15 minutes open to accredited press)

Thursday 6 June
10:00 Training (closed door)
13:30 Press conference (players)
18:30 Training (closed door)

Friday 7 June
09:00 Transfer to Florence airport
10:00 Flight from Florence to Athens
13:00 l.t.* Arrival and transfer to hotel
17:30 l.t. Press conference MD-1 c/o ‘OACA Spyros Louis Stadium’
18:00 l.t. Training MD-1 c/o ‘OACA Spyros Louis Stadium’ (first 15 minutes open to accredited press)

Saturday 8 June
21:45 l.t. MD3 Greece–Italy - ’Spyros Louis Stadium’

Sunday 9 June
11:00 l.t. Training (closed door)
15:45 l.t. Airport transfer
17:00 l.t. Flight from Athens to Turin
19:00 Arrival and transfer to the hotel

Monday 10 June
17:30 Press conference MD-1 c/o “Juventus Stadium”
18:00 Training MD-1 c/o “Juventus Stadium” (first 15 minutes open to accredited press)
Tuesday 11 June
20:45 MD4 Italy–Bosnia Herzegovina - “Juventus Stadium”