The Under-21 National Team are completing a double session at the Centro Sportivo Torre on their second day of training as they look ahead to their opening match of the new season: at 18:30 CEST on Friday 6 September, the Azzurrini will face Moldova at the Stadio Angelo Massimino in Catania. Sandro Tonali has been called up for the senior side by Roberto Mancini after Bryan Cristante was forced to drop out yesterday, while Head Coach Paolo Nicolato will also have to make do without David Bettella: the Pescara defender is unable to continue training with the team due to an injury picked up while playing for his club.

Today, it was Manuel Locatelli’s turn to speak to the press. The Sassuolo player was involved in the most recent European Championship played on home soil and is the most ‘experienced’ player in the group. He will probably put on the captain’s armband as the Under-21s look to go again: “These will be my last two years and they’ll be important. Unfortunately, the European Championship didn’t go well, it was our own fault and there’s still great regret. Now, we need to roll up our sleeves ready to take a new path. I’m certainly more mature compared to before, but I always want to learn and make sure I’m involved.”

Apart from Locatelli, there are only eight players born in 1998 in the squad, with many of the youngsters having come through the Azzurri youth ranks together: “The group is already well-established, you could say I’m one of the new ones. You need to have humility and follow the characteristics of the group, which seems a united and cohesive one to me.” Over these first few days of training, he’s getting to know Paolo Nicolato: “He’s already explained what his ideas are and what he wants from us on the pitch, he’s asking us to play with speed and play a pressing game.” At Sassuolo, Locatelli is playing for an ideal coach in terms of his growth as a player: “Coach De Zerbi is vital when it comes to my development, he knows how to manage me and help me with concepts which are perfect for me. I’m really happy with what we’re doing, I feel really good. The objective is to do well and make sure I’m ready for Italy, we’ve got European qualifying games coming up and important matches are in store, like the one against Luxembourg.”

Before the Luxembourg game, there’s Moldova, however: “We hope to do well on Friday and it will be great if many people come to watch us. Catania is an amazing city and we got wait to take to the pitch.”

Squad list

Goalkeepers: Marco Carnesecchi (Trapani), Mattia Del Favero (Piacenza), Alessandro Plizzari (Livorno);
Defenders: Claud Adjapong (Verona), Alessandro Bastoni (Inter), Raoul Bellanova (Bordeaux), Enrico Del Prato (Livorno), Matteo Gabbia (Milan), Riccardo Marchizza (Spezia), Luca Ranieri (Fiorentina), Marco Sala (Virtus Entella), Alessandro Tripaldelli (Sassuolo);
Midfielders: Marco Carraro (Perugia), Davide Frattesi (Empoli), Manuel Locatelli (Sassuolo), Giulio Maggiore (Spezia), Niccolò Zanellato (Crotone), Nicolò Zaniolo (Roma);
Forwards: Moise Kean (Everton), Andrea Pinamonti (Genoa), Gianluca Scamacca (Ascoli), Riccardo Sottil (Fiorentina), Marco Tumminello (Pescara).

Staff – Head Coach: Paolo Nicolato; Head of Delegation: Massimo Paganin; Accompanying Director Vincenzo Marinelli; National Youth Teams Coordinator: Maurizio Viscidi; Assistant Coach: Mirco Gasparetto; Secretary: Manfredi Martino; Fitness Coach: Vincenzo Pincolini; Goalkeeper Coach: Gianmatteo Mareggini; Match Analyst: Francesco Bordin; Doctors: Angelo De Carli and Vincenzo Santoriello; Physiologist: Cristian Osgnach; Physiotherapists: Emiliano Bozzetti and Nicola Sanna.

The schedule for the Under-21 National Team:

Tuesday 3 September
10:00 - Training at the Torre del Grifo Training Centre (closed)
13:15 - Press conference (with one player) at the Torre del Grifo Training Centre
17:00 - Training at the Torre del Grifo Training Centre (open to the press for the first 15 minutes)

Wednesday 4 September
10:00 - Training at the Torre del Grifo Training Centre (closed)
13:15 - Press conference (with one player) at the Torre del Grifo Training Centre
17:00 - Training at the Torre del Grifo Training Centre (open to the press for the first 15 minutes)

Thursday 5 September
10:00 - Training at the Torre del Grifo Training Centre (closed)
13.30 - Press conference (with the Coach) at the Torre del Grifo Training Centre

Friday 6 September
10:30 - Training (closed)
18:30 – ITALY vs. MOLDOVA at the "Angelo Massimino" Stadium in Catania. press conference after the game

Saturday 7 September
09:00 - Flight Catania-Rome Fiumicino and transfer to the Sport Village Hotel & Spa -Castel di Sangro AQ
13:15 - Press conference (with two players) at the Sport Village Hotel & Spa
17:00 - Training at "Teofilo Patini" (open to the press)

Sunday 8 September
10:00 - Training at "Teofilo Patini" (closed)
17:00 - Training at "Teofilo Patini" (open to the press for the first 15 minutes)

Monday 9 September
16:45 - Press conference (with the Coach) at the "Teofilo Patini" Stadium in Castel di Sangro
17:30 - Training at the stadium (open for the first 15 minutes)

Tuesday 10 September
18:30 – ITALY vs. LUXEMBOURG at the "Teofilo Patini" Stadium in Castel di Sangro. Followed by a press conference after the match and the conclusion of the national meet. N.B. All times in CEST.

The times of trainings and press conferences may be subject to change.