Pierluigi Casiraghi’s squad jet off to the Under-21 European Championship and the Coach is confident they will “be centre-stage.”
The Azzurrini have completed their training camp at the Borghesiana and will face Denmark on Tuesday in their final friendly test before the tournament.
“We have worked well, I found the lads in good shape and we have another week of training to improve even more,” said Casiraghi.
“We are going to this European Championship to take centre-stage and the fact we’re here at all is already significant, as it means we are in the top eight teams on the continent.
“I want to prove that Italian football remains the best in Europe despite our club sides not doing too well this season.
“Our first target is reaching the semi-finals and when we’re there we can think of going all the way.”
Italy’s campaign kicks off on June 16 against Serbia, then hosts Sweden on June 19 and finally Belarus on June 23.
“Serbia have players of great talent who have already made their senior international debuts. In my view they are the strongest side going into the European Championship. In the other group I tip Spain and England.”
The top two sides from each group will qualify for the semi-final, which in the case of Group B is out of Spain, Germany, England and Finland.
Casiraghi has had to reshuffle his squad, as Davide Santon and Giuseppe Rossi have been promoted to the senior squad and will be in South Africa for the Confederations Cup.
“I am happy for Rossi and Santon, who have done very well this season. [Jose] Mourinho was smart to play Santon at the right time,” noted the Coach.
Mario Balotelli is in the Under-21 side, but was confronted by an ugly incident of racist abuse when he was with teammates Domenico Criscito and Sebastian Giovinco at a publicity event last night.
The striker of Ghanaian descent was insulted by Roma fans in the capital and some even hurled bananas in his direction.
Police asked if Balotelli wanted to press charges, but he shrugged it off as “a nothing incident.”
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