Double training session for the National Under 21 team at the CPO in Tirrenia, where they will remain until tomorrow before heading to Cluj, Romania, the venue for the three matches in the European Championship group with France, Switzerland and Norway, on Monday. There are 22 Azzurrini working under the orders of Paolo Nicolato, who from Monday will also be able to count on Wilfried Gnonto, the Leeds striker engaged with the senior national team in the Nations League Finals.

Growing up with Gnonto in Inter's youth academy, Lorenzo Pirola is preparing to play in his second Under-21 European Championship at only twenty-one years of age: "We don't need to hide that we are a very good team," he began in the press conference, "we want to experience a European Championship as protagonists and qualify for the Olympics. Winning the European Championship would be a great goal'.

Vice-champion of Europe with the Under-17 team in 2019, Pirola has played his entire career in the national youth teams, from the Under-15 to the Under-21, with whom he made his debut in October 2020, making ten appearances and also scoring a goal against Luxembourg in the first match of the qualifying round: "In the Under-17 European Championship I was beaten in the final by the Netherlands, at the Under-17 World Championship I was eliminated in the quarter-finals against Brazil and two years ago at the Under-21 European Championship we were eliminated in the quarter-finals by Portugal. I hope this is the right time, we have the team and the potential to make it".

Pirola is confident, not least because in recent months he, like many of his teammates, has increased his minutes with his club: 'The good thing is that compared to the past, almost all of us are playing in Serie A and most of us are playing with continuity. The pressure that is on us is to be lived in a positive way, we are strong and it is right that expectations are high.

His season with Salernitana allowed him to present himself at his best at the European Championship: "I feel I have grown a lot and I feel I have improved a lot since Paulo Sousa arrived. At the beginning I found some difficulties, then I managed to play with continuity and perform very well". Performances that have convinced the ownership to buy him back: 'All that is missing is the official announcement - he confirms - I am very happy with this choice, the best one for my growth path. The club has always believed in me, even when things didn't go well in the early days. The last four/five months then went great, I want to stay at Salerno and raise the bar even higher for next year'.

A central defender and his team-mate at Salernitana, Lovato is not a rival for a starting jersey, but a friend with whom he is happy to share this adventure: 'With Matteo we have a great relationship, we often go out together at Salerno. I get on very well with him both on and off the pitch. Our defence is very strong and I am convinced that whoever will play will give their all'.

Among his future goals is of course the senior national team: "It's a great incentive, it's every footballer's dream. However, I know that in order to earn it I have to perform consistently and do well, with the club and with the Under-21 team.

Azzurrini numbers for the Under-21 European Championships

Goalkeepers: 19 Elia Caprile (Bari), 1 Marco Carnesecchi (Cremonese), 22 Stefano Turati (Frosinone)
Defenders: 12 Raoul Bellanova (Inter), 20 Andrea Cambiaso (Bologna), 14 Giorgio Cittadini (Modena), 6 Matteo Lovato (Salernitana), 15 Caleb Okoli (Atalanta), 3 Fabiano Parisi (Empoli), 5 Lorenzo Pirola (Salernitana), 2 Giorgio Scalvini (Atalanta), 13 Destiny Iyenoma Udogie (Udinese);
Midfielders: 16 Edoardo Bove (Roma), 7 Salvatore Esposito (Spezia), 21 Fabio Miretti (Juventus), 4 Samuele Ricci (Torino), 10 Nicolò Rovella (Monza), 8 Sandro Tonali (Milan);
Forwards: 23 Nicolò Cambiaghi (Empoli), 18 Matteo Cancellieri (Lazio), 9 Lorenzo Colombo (Lecce), 17 Wilfried Gnonto (Leeds), 11 Pietro Pellegri (Torino).

The schedule

All times in CEST

Wednesday 14 June

Meeting at the Tirrenia CPO until 23

Thursday 15 June

10 - Training (open to press)
14 - Press conference with coach Nicolato (Zoom and in person)
17 - Training (closed)

Friday 16 June

10 - Official team photo
17 – Training (closed)

Saturday 17 June

10 - Training (closed)
13.45 - Player press conference (Zoom and in person)
17 - Training (open to press)

Sunday 18 June

10 - Training (closed)
13.45 - Player press conference (Zoom and in person)
17 - Training (closed)

Monday 19 June

10 - Charter flight from Pisa to Cluj and transfer to the DoubleTree by Hilton Cluj
16.30 – Training (open to press)

Tuesday 20 June

11 – Meeting with Italian ambassador to Romania taken at Babes-Bolyan University
12.45 – Player press conference (Zoom and in person)
16 - Training (open to press)

Wednesday 21 June

16.15 – Pre-match press conference with coach Nicolato and a player at the Cluj Arena
17 – Training at the Cluj Arena ( open to press for the first 15')

Thursday 22 June

10 – Training (closed)
20.45 – France vs. ITALY (post match press conference)

Friday 23 June

9 – Training (open to press)
12.45 – Player press conference (Zoom and in person)
16 – Training (closed)

Saturday 24 June

16.15 – Pre-match press conference with coach Nicolato and a player at the Cluj Arena
17 – Training at the UBB Training Center in Cluj Napoca ( open to press for the first 15')

Sunday 25 June

10 – Training (closed)
18 – Switzerland vs. ITALY (post match press conference)

Monday 26 June

9 – Training (open to press)
12.45 - Player press conference (Zoom and in person)
16 – Training (closed)

Tuesday 27 June

15.45 – Pre-match press conference with coach Nicolato and a player at the Cluj Arena
17.15 – Training at the UBB Training Center in Cluj Napoca ( open to press for the first 15')

Wednesday 28 June

10 – Training (closed)
20.45 – ITALY vs. Norway (post match press conference)