Italy's Class of '83-'84 (2006 U-21s) [R]

Re: Italy's Class of '83-'84 (U-21s) [R]

Here is the training/travel schedule for the U-21s upcoming qualifiers:

Fri Aug 26 - squad callups announced
Sun Aug 28 - players gather in Rome
Mon Aug 29-Wed Aug 31 - two-a-day training sessions in Rome
Thu Sep 1 - morning training; fly to Glasgow via London; evening training session at Fir Park
Fri Sep 2 - Scotland vs Italy (kickoff at 2:30 pm Eastern US time)
Sat Sep 3 - return flight to Rome; evening training session
Sun Sep 4 - morning/afternoon training sessions
Mon Sep 5 - fly to Minsk via Vienna; evening training at stadium
Tue Sep 6 - Belarus vs Italy (kickoff at 12 noon Eastern US time)
Wed Sep 7 - players return to respective squads

 

Re: Italy's Class of '83-'84 (U-21s) [R]

Here is the 20-man squad called into camp for the 2 qualifiers:

Alberto Aquilani (Roma), Tommaso Berni (Ternana), Rolando Bianchi (Reggina), Cesare Bovo (Roma), Michele Canini (Cagliari), Gianluca Curci (Roma), Marco Donadel (Fiorentina), Andrea Lazzari (Atalanta), Massimo Loviso (Bologna), Andrea Mantovani (Chievo Verona), Giovanni Marchese (Chievo Verona), Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina), Marco Motta (Udinese), Biagio Pagano (Bari), Giampaolo Pazzini (Fiorentina), Simone Pepe (Palermo), Felice Piccolo (Lazio), Alessandro Potenza (Maiorca), Alessandro Rosina (Parma), Paolo Sammarco (Chievo Verona).

It's exactly the same squad that played France.

 

Re: Italy's Class of '83-'84 (U-21s) [R]

Some news on Friday's U-21 match in Scotland. It doesn't appear that it'll be carried on RAI International, but it will be covered on Radio1, available from this link: www.radio.rai.it (in Italian of course). Kickoff is at 2:30 pm EDT.

The Azzurrini's most in-form striker, Giampaolo Pazzini, is unfortunately suspended for this game, but he is on the squad so he can play against Belarus. Apparently, Gentile has opted to play with a lone striker, Rolando Bianchi, in this match.

 

Re: Italy's Class of '83-'84 (U-21s) [R]

Italy twice came from a goal down to get a 2-2 draw with Scotland, despite finishing the match with 9 men. Scotland scored first in injury time of the first half before substitute Andrea Lazzari scored the equalizer on a pass from Alberto Aquilani 7 minutes into the second half. Lazzari had come on for the injured Rolando Bianchi in the first half. Scotland retook the lead in the 74th minute, a few minutes before Marco Motta and Scottish keeper David Marshall were sent off for scuffling after a rough collision. Vincenzo Pepe, who was a late addition to Italy's starting lineup as Gentile opted to start the game with a 4-4-2, scored off an Aquilani free kick and Motta header with 13 minutes left, only to get ejected for his second yellow card in the 89th minute.

Norway and Slovenia also drew today, meaning a win in Belarus and Italy will clinch a berth in the qualification play-offs (there are no direct qualifiers from group play). But Italy faces a real struggle on Tuesday, with Bianchi injured and Pepe and Motta now disqualified, along with Donadel, who got his second yellow card of the qualifying campaign. At least Pazzini will be back.

Italy's table:

ITALIA (4-4-2): Curci; Potenza, Bovo, Piccolo, Mantovani; Motta, Donadel, Aquilani (34' st Sammarco), Rosina (30' st Pagano); Bianchi (31' pt Lazzari), Pepe. A disp.: Berni, Marchese, Loviso, Montolivo.

Game reports:
http://www.uefa.com/competitions/Under21/FixturesResults/Round=1910/match=74354/Report=RP.html
http://www.channel4.com/sport/football_italia/sep2j.html

Motta and Lazzari celebrate:

 

Re: Italy's Class of '83-'84 (U-21s) [R]

Tape delay replay of this game will be shown on RAI Sport Sat today at 11:45 am, 10:20 pm, and Sunday morning at 6 am (all times Eastern US).

mms://fastreal.fastweb.it/raisporthigh

 

Re: Italy's Class of '83-'84 (U-21s) [R]

Raffaele Palladino has been called into the squad as an emergency replacement for the suspended Vincenzo Pepe for the Belarus game. Meanwhile, Rolando Bianchi is set to undergo an MRI on his injured right knee this afternoon.

 

Re: Italy's Class of '83-'84 (U-21s) [R]

He's listed as "a disposizione", so he just decided not to play him. It sounds like Aquilani (who plays a similar role) had a good game, so can't really argue. Maybe he felt a game against Scotland requires a little more grit than finesse. I imagine he'll play against Belarus, especially with Donadel suspended.

 

Re: Italy's Class of '83-'84 (U-21s) [R]

Gentile has called in two additional reinforcements for the trip to Belarus, bringing in Bari midfielder Pasquale Berardi and Verona defender Mattia Cassani as replacements for Donadel and Motta.

 

Re: Italy's Class of '83-'84 (U-21s) [R]

Italy has been awarded a 3-0 victory in last Friday's game, because Scotland fielded a suspended player, Steven Whittaker. This shocking development means the U-21s are now 7 points ahead of Norway in the table, and if they win on Tuesday, they'll clinch first place and a spot in the playoffs to reach next summer's European championship finals.

http://it.sports.yahoo.com/050905/8/ailf.html

 

Re: Italy's Class of '83-'84 (U-21s) [R]

Belarus-Italy U-21s kick off at noon eastern today, with Italian radio coverage on Radio1, available from www.radio.rai.it .

Here is Italy's anticipated starting lineup (4-2-3-1):

Curci; Potenza, Piccolo, Bovo, Marchese; Aquilani, Sammarco; Rosina, Lazzari, Pagano; Pazzini.

Bovo, Piccolo, Aquilani, and Lazzari are all on yellow cards and will miss the next match if booked. Of course, if Italy wins this game, the next two matches are meaningless.

 

Re: Italy's Class of '83-'84 (U-21s) [R]

Ack, forgot all about it! Darn work. Anyway, Lazzari and Aquilani have both been booked so will miss the next match. Montolivo has come on for Lazzari at 18' of the second half. It's now about halfway through the second half with the score still 1-1.

 

Re: Italy's Class of '83-'84 (U-21s) [R]

Two more bookings, to Sammarco and Montolivo. Palladino came on for Pazzani at the end.

This point actually secures a place in the playoffs - a win wasn't necessary. I'd forgotten the top 2 in each group qualify for the playoffs. But it's still important to finish ahead of Norway in order to get an optimal seed - 1st places will be matched up with 2nd places.

 

Re: Italy's Class of '83-'84 (U-21s) [R]

Come home to find out this game was on RAI International after all. I recorded the last 20 minutes when Sportsera would've been on. ^%# their late schedule updates. I KNOW I checked their listings yesterday, and it still was not there.

Here is channel4's report on the game:

http://www.channel4.com/sport/football_italia/sep6h.html

 

Re: Italy's Class of '83-'84 (U-21s) [R]

I doubt it, but you never really know with RAI. The u-21 game is listed on their webpage now, but not tomorrow's game.

 

Re: Italy's Class of '83-'84 (U-21s) [R]

Norway lost to Scotland today, clinching first place in the group for Italy with two games to spare. Wish this would happen in the non-U21 group!!

 

Re: Italy's Class of '83-'84 (U-21s) [R]

Here is the team called in by Claudio Gentile for the Under-21s' final two European qualifiers next week. The games mean little as Italy has already clinched first place and a berth in November's final playoffs, so several new faces are being checked out. These include Cigarini, Coda, Dellafiore, Galloppa and Pelle' from the U-20 team. Also interesting is the inclusion of Chiellini.

Portieri: Berni (Ternana), Curci (Roma);
Difensori: Bovo (Roma), Canini (Cagliari), Chiellini (Juventus), Coda (Empoli), Dellafiore (Treviso), Mantovani (Chievo), Marchese (Chievo), Potenza (RCD Mallorca);
Centrocampisti: Cigarini (Parma), Donadel (Fiorentina), Galloppa (Triestina), Montolivo (Fiorentina), Motta (Udinese), Rosina (Torino Football Club), Sammarco (Chievo);
Attaccanti: Palladino (Livorno), Pazzini (Fiorentina), Pellè (Lecce), Pepe (Palermo).

 

Re: Italy's Class of '83-'84 (U-21s) [R]

Italy's U-21s vs Slovenia will be shown live on RAI International at 3 pm Eastern US time this Friday Oct 7.