Qualifying is set to start for the 2021 Women’s European Championship with England hosting the finals and Milena Bertolini’s side will gather once more after an excellent World Cup on Thursday 22 August at Coverciano ahead of the opening two qualifiers against Israel and Georgia.

There are five new players in the squad of 23 compared to the World Cup. They are the goalkeepers Francesca Durante (Fiorentina Women) who was in preliminary squads for France 2019 and Rachele Baldi (Empoli Ladies) who played at the Universiade. Along with them is the Sassuolo defender Martina Lenzini and the midfielders Agnese Bonfantini (AS Roma) and Arianna Caruso (Juventus). In the technical staff, Nicola Matteucci comes in as the Assistant Coach.

The schedule at Coverciano consists of five training sessions until Saturday 24 August before a final test on the morning of Sunday 25 August. Late in the afternoon, the team will travel to Rome before leaving for Tel Aviv midday the following day. On Thursday 29 August, the Ramat Gan Stadium will be the venue for the opening fixture with kick-off at 18:30 local time. The team will keep training in Israel until Saturday 31 August before leaving for Tblisi. There, Italy will face Georgia on Tuesday 3 September at the Mikheil Meshi Stadium at 17:00 local time.

Squad List

Goalkeepers: Laura Giuliani (Juventus), Francesca Durante (Fiorentina Women), Rachele Baldi (Empoli Ladies).

Defenders: Elisa Bartoli (AS Roma), Laura Fusetti (AC Milan), Sara Gama (Juventus), Alia Guagni (Fiorentina Women), Martina Lenzini (Sassuolo), Elena Linari (Atletico de Madrid), Linda Tucceri Cimini (AC Milan).

Midifielders: Valentina Bergamaschi (AC Milan), Barbara Bonansea (Juventus), Agnese Bonfantini (AS Roma), Arianna Caruso (Juventus), Valentina Cernoia (Juventus), Aurora Galli (Juventus), Manuela Giugliano (AS Roma), Martina Rosucci (Juventus), Annamaria Serturini (AS Roma).

Forwards: Cristiana Girelli (Juventus), Valentina Giacinti (AC Milan), Daniela Sabatino (Sassuolo), Stefania Tarenzi (FC Inter).

 

Staff

Head Coach: Milena Bertolini; Assistant Coach: Nicola Matteucci; Fitness Coach: Francesco Perondi; Goalkeeping Coach: Cristiano Viotti; Match Analyst: Marco Mannucci; Doctors: Matteo Guzzini, Luca Gatteschi, Ferdinando Iannotti; Physiotherapists: Daniele Frosoni, Matteo Cossa; Nutritionist: Natale Gentile.

Schedule

Thursday 22 August

12:00 Gather at Coverciano

13:15 Media activities

17:00 Training (First 15 minutes open to the media)

 

Friday 23 August

9:30 Training (First 15 minutes open to the media)

13:15 Media activities

17:00 Training (closed)

 

Saturday 24 August

9:30 Training (closed)

17:00 Training (closed)

 

 Sunday 25 August

10:00 Training match (closed)

18:30 Move to Rome

 

Monday 26 August

10:45 Transfer to Rome Fiumicino airport

12:00 Flight to Tel Aviv

16:20* Arrive in Tel Aviv and transfer to Hotel Herods Herzliya

20.00* Training at the Shefayim training ground (closed)

Tuesday 27 August

19:30* Training at the Shefayim training ground (closed)

Wednesday 28 August

18:30* Training MD-1 c/o Ramat Gan Stadium  (First 15 minutes open to the media)

Thursday 29 August

18:30* ISRAEL vs. ITALY

Media activities to follow

Friday 30 August

9:30* Training at the Shefayim training ground (closed)

Saturday 31 August

14:10* Flight from Tel Aviv to Tbilisi

17:45** Land at Tbilisi and transfer to the Hotel Radisson Blu Tbilisi

Sunday 1 September

17.00** Training at the David Petriashvili Sports Centre (closed)

Monday 2 September

17:00**  Training MD-1 c/o Mikheil Meskhi Stadium (First 15 minutes open to the media)

 Tuesday 3 September

17:00** GEORGIA vs. ITALY

Media activities to follow

Wednesday 4 September

05:05** Return to Italy via Munich

 

Time zones: *Israel CET+1  /  **Georgia CET +2