Italy will face Spain in the second semi-final in Enschede on June 15, before playing either hosts Netherlands or Croatia in the third place/final three days later.
Roberto Mancini has called up 26 players for a brief retreat in Sardinia ahead of the Final Four of the Nations League. The Azzurri will face Spain in Enschede on June 15th in the semifinal. The Netherlands and Croatia complete the bracket. The competition includes a third-place playoff.
Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone was a guest of honor at Napoli’s Scudetto celebrations, with his son Giovanni Simone playing a part under Luciano Spalletti enroute the historic win. The Argentine has strong ties with Italy and Serie A, having played for Pisa, Inter and Lazio in the 1990’s.
Mateo Retegui recounted how his Azzurri call-up came to be but remained cagey about what would happen in the summer in an interview: "It’s everybody’s goal to move to Europe, where all the top players star. But there’s nothing concrete at the moment. I'm 100 percent focused on my team."
Chelsea and Napoli icon Gianfranco Zola was recently inducted into the Italian Football Hall of Fame, which was created in 2011 by the FIGC and Fondazione Museo del Calcio to celebrate athletes, directors, and coaches alike, who have made their mark on the beautiful game in the Peninsula.
Roberto Mancini discussed his latest call-ups, the expansion of the World Cup, and the debate about the oriundi after a federal event: "I don’t like the new format. The number of matches will grow, while it would be better to go in the opposite direction to allow the players to breathe."
Roberto Mancini is reportedly disappointed with the recent performances of the Azzurri and has started to ponder his future, even though his contract with the Italian federation lasts until 2026. The boss is receiving interest from PSG and Tottenham and could be tempted to jump ship.
Mattia Zaccagni wasn’t called up for the upcoming Euro qualifiers versus England and Malta despite being one of the most prolific Italian forwards this campaign. He didn’t make the squad even though other options in his role, Federico Chiesa and Giacomo Raspadori, are unavailable due to injury.
After missing out on back-to-back World Cup finals, Italy will be desperate to return to the big international stage. Gli Azzurri's bid to defend the European Championship crown kicks off on Thursday as they welcome England to the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
Following news of Roberto Mancini calling up Tigre striker Mateo Retegui to the Azzurri national team, interest in the Argentine-Italian striker has bloomed. However, as his father Carlos Retegui reveals, there were contacts with interested suitors before the 23-year-old forward heard from Mancini: "Mateo is very happy with the call-up."
Roberto Mancini previewed the upcoming Azzurri call-ups and commented on Napoli, Serie A, and the upcoming clash with England in an interview: “I hope it will be a good game. The stadium will be packed as always. Naples will help us. They are a strong opponent."