Germany provisional squad - France provisional squad - Portugal provisional squad - Slovenia provisional squad -
Italy provisional squad - Portieri: Sebastiano Desplanches (Palermo), Jacopo Sassi (Crotone), Gioele Zacchi (Latina); Difensori: Diego Coppola (Hellas Verona), Daniele Ghilardi (Hellas Verona), Gabriele Guarino (Carrarese), Michael Kayode (Brentford), Giovanni Leoni (Parma), Marco Palestra (Atalanta), Lorenzo Pirola (Olympiacos), Matteo Ruggeri (Atalanta), Riccardo Turicchia (Juventus), Mattia Zanotti (Lugano); Centrocampisti: Tommaso Baldanzi (Roma), Alessandro Bianco (Monza), Issa Doumbia (Venezia), Giovanni Fabbian (Bologna), Jacopo Fazzini (Empoli), Cher Ndour (Fiorentina), Simone Pafundi (Udinese), Niccolò Pisilli (Roma), Matteo Prati (Cagliari), Cristian Volpato (Sassuolo); Attaccanti: Giuseppe Ambrosino (Frosinone), *Francesco Pio Esposito (Spezia), Sebastiano Esposito (Empoli), Wilfried Gnonto (Leeds United), Luca Koleosho (Burnley).
What are the expectations of this team do you know? I remember looking at the Italy bigsoccer forum a few months back and the members there were quite confident about winning this tournament but I hardly recognise any of those names. Not saying they can't or won't win it, I'm just quite in the dark about this squad bar about four players.
I’m the same tbh. I know more than half of their U20 WC squad is in that U21 squad. They made the final in that and we lost to them in the quarters. One of the most shameful decisions I’ve ever seen in a football match happened against us in that game. Then there are others in there that won the U19 Euro finals for them. So, they might think they have the pedigree for it. Not sure those tournaments are always translatable to U21 Euro success though.
Defense is really strong, midfield is decent and attack is quite good BUT heavily dependent on whether Pio Esposito goes to the CWC with Inter or not. I wouldn't put them as favourites but it's a good side. Funnily enough for an Italy squad, keeper is probably their weakest area.
They got one of the worst handball decisions I've ever seen, and there's been a lot of shocker handball penalties. Their player hammered a shot at Quansah from point blank range and somehow despite him not moving his hand at all, and his hand being down by his side in the normal position it got given. It wasn't even an on pitch decision either, it somehow got turned over by VAR which made it even worse. It really had to be seen to believed.
Any chance we see Livramento, as he's not in the seniors? Hasn't been with this group for a while but you never know.
When is the squad announced? Disappointed about the Trafford situation, unless they just think he’s already won the U21 Euro’s so better to give the time to another keeper.
Unless he starts against Andorra (who are arguably worse than the teams at 21s tournament) it’s completely pointless.
It’s clear he really rates him and sees him as someone who could displace Pickford if he has a good season next year.
Yeah I’m just trying to figure out the reasons behind it but I would personally have him still with the U21’s, since they have a much better chance with him in goals.
Sure everybody rates Trafford thats not the debate, but what's more beneficial to the player, sitting on the bench against Andorra, and potentially some friendly minutes against Senegal or playing in another U21 tournament?
Maybe he thinks the rest is good and not missing any pre season with whoever he joins (As everyone thinks Burnley are selling him)