Carmine Nunziata has named a relatively strong Italy U21 squad for the upcoming European Championship qualifiers against Latvia and Turkey in March, including first-team regulus from the likes of Juventus, Roma, Bologna and Championship side Leeds.
Some of the most eye-catching names on Nunziata’s list include Juve’s Fabio Miretti, Roma’s Edoardo Bove and Bologna’s Giovanni Fabbian. That particular trio already have 61 league appearances for top half Serie A sides between them in 2023-24.
Chelsea’s Cesare Casadei, who won the Golden Ball and Golden Boot at the U20 World Cup last summer, is also in the current Italy U21 squad, as is highly-rated Braga loanee Cher Ndour, who is contracted with Paris Saint-Germain until 2028.
Atalanta regular Matteo Ruggeri is in the Italy U21 squad as a defender, as is Bologna’s Roberto Calafiori, who is currently helping his club side against Empoli in Serie A.
There is also a call-up for exciting Fiorentina teenager Michael Kayode and the comparatively experienced Lorenzo Pirola, who regularly captains the side.
Wilfried Gnonto was not selected for the senior squad, so he returns to the junior side, alongside Lorenzo Colombo, Francesco Pio Esposito, Gaetano Oristanio, Tommaso Baldanzi and Giuseppe Ambrosino as the other attackers.
Italy U21 will play against their Latvian counterparts on March 22 at 17.45, and then again against Turkey on March 26 at the same time.
Italy U21 squad
Goalkeepers: Desplanches, Rinaldi, Zacchi.
Defenders: Pirola, Calafiori, Ruggeri, Zanotti, Coppola, Ghilardi, Kayode, Turicchia.
Midfielders: Bove, Casadei, Miretti, Ndour, Prati, Fabbian, Volpato, Bianco, Fazzini, Hasa, Tongya.
Forwards: Colombo, Esposito, Gnonto, Oristanio, Baldanzi, Ambrosino.
#Under21 🇮🇹
I 2️⃣8️⃣ convocati di Nunziata per le gare in programma a Cesena e Ferrara contro Lettonia e Turchia 💙
▶️ https://t.co/i0kimMWXew#Azzurrini #VivoAzzurro pic.twitter.com/hCYFrrLoV0
— Nazionale Italiana ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (@Azzurri) March 15, 2024