Milan’s 17-year-old goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma makes history as he starts for the Italy Under-21 side in the Republic of Ireland.
This qualifier for the European Championships kicks off in Waterford at 18.00 GMT.
Donnarumma is given the gloves, making him the youngest ever player to make his Italy Under-21 debut, having only turned 17 last month.
He is a regular in Serie A for the Rossoneri and plays here with his club teammate Alessio Romagnoli.
Milan’s 17-year-old goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma makes history as he starts for the Italy Under-21 side in the Republic of Ireland.
This qualifier for the European Championships kicks off in Waterford at 18.00 GMT.
Donnarumma is given the gloves, making him the youngest ever player to make his Italy Under-21 debut, having only turned 17 last month.
He is a regular in Serie A for the Rossoneri and plays here with his club teammate Alessio Romagnoli.
Domenico Berardi of Sassuolo leads the attack with Atalanta’s Gaetano Monachello and Valerio Rosseti.
Gigi Di Biagio’s Italy are currently top of the qualifying Group 2 with 13 points from five games, followed by Slovenia on 12 points from six games, Serbia on 10 points from five and the Republic of Ireland on nine points from five.
They lost Cesena star Stefano Sensi and Virtus Lanciano midfielder Federico Di Francesco to injury, while Daniele Rugani and Federico Bernardeschi were poached by the senior squad.
Republic of Ireland: Rogers; B Lenihan, Keown, Rea, Connors; Charsley, O’Connor, D Lenihan, J Byrne, O’Dowda; Wilkinson
Ireland bench: Lawlor, Griffin, Hoare, Maguire, Miele, Long, Barrett
Italy: Donnarumma; Conti, Caldara, Romagnoli, Barreca; Cataldi, Mandragora, Benassi, Berardi; Monachello, Rosseti
Italy bench: Cragno, Ferrari, Mazzitelli, Masina, Ricci, Garritano, Cerri