The Algarve Cup is less than two weeks away, a prestigious tournament set to take place from 4 to 11 March in Portugal, with the following sides ready to take part: Italy, Portugal, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Belgium, New Zealand and Germany. The tournament this year will have a new format: the eight teams will play their quarter-final clashes on 4 March, with the four winners qualifying for the semi-finals which will take place on 7 March. On the same day, the fifth to eighth-place semi-finals will be played. The seventh, fifth and third-place matches will all take place on 10 March, while the final is scheduled for 11 March.  

At 21:15 CET on 4 March, Italy will face Portugal (currently 31st in the FIFA ranking), a team they beat twice in their qualification campaign for the World Cup in France. The tournament will undoubtedly come in handy for the Azzurre, who will be looking to prepare for their upcoming Euro qualifying matches against Israel and Bosnia in April in the best possible fashion.

Head Coach Milena Bertolini has called up 23 players for the Algarve Cup, and they will meet up on Thursday 27 February in Venice before flying to Portugal in the evening. Cecilia Salvai is back in the squad after recovering from the knee injury that forced her to miss out on the World Cup, while Tatiana Bonetti and Katja Schroffenegger have been called up for the first time in three years.

Squad

Goalkeepers: Laura Giuliani (Juventus), Rachele Baldi (Empoli Ladies), Katja Schroffenegger (Florentia San Gimignano);

Defenders: Sara Gama (Juventus), Cecilia Salvai (Juventus), Alia Guagni (Fiorentina Women), Elena Linari (Atletico Madrid), Laura Fusetti (AC Milan), Elisa Bartoli (AS Roma), Lisa Boattin (Juventus), Linda Tucceri Cimini (AC Milan);

Midfielders: Manuela Giugliano (AS Roma), Valentina Cernoia (Juventus), Aurora Galli (Juventus), Martina Rosucci (Juventus), Marta Mascarello (Fiorentina Women), Valentina Bergamaschi (AC Milan);

Forwards: Cristiana Girelli (Juventus), Valentina Giacinti (AC Milan), Daniela Sabatino (Sassuolo), Stefania Tarenzi (FC Inter), Barbara Bonansea (Juventus), Tatiana Bonetti (Fiorentina Women).

Staff – Head Coach: Milena Bertolini; Assistant Coach: Nicola Matteucci; Secretary: Alessandra Savini Nicci; Fitness Coach: Francesco Perondi; Goalkeeper Coach: Cristiano Viotti; Match Analyst: Marco Mannucci; Doctors: Luca Gatteschi and Matteo Guzzini; Physiotherapists: Maurizio D’Angelo and Daniele Frosoni; Nutritionist: Natale Gentile.