Cesare Casadei, Fabio Miretti and Edoardo Bove are among the talents starting for Italy in the Under-21 European qualifier with Latvia, the debut under new coach Carmine Nunziata.
It kicks off in Jurmala at 15.00 UK time (14.00 GMT).
The group also includes Norway, Turkey, the Republic of Ireland and San Marino.
Nunziata was promoted to the Under-21 job after taking Italy to the Final of the Under-20 World Cup over the summer.
Casadei was named Player of the Tournament as well as top scorer in that competition and is now the star of the Under-21 side.
Owned by Chelsea after coming through the Inter youth academy, he is on loan at Leicester City this season.
Juventus midfielder Miretti, Roma man Bove and Atalanta full-back Matteo Ruggeri are more familiar faces.
Latvia U21: Beks; Novikovs, Kudelkins, Sliede, Maslovs; Vientiess, Melniks; Kauselis, Vapne, Rascevskis; Lizunovs
Italy U21: Desplanches; Zanotti, Ghilardi, Pirola, Ruggeri; Bove, Prati, Casadei, Miretti; Oristanio, Nasti