Nine debutants in Mancini’s return to the Azzurra

ByDavid Mitchell

Gianluigi Donnarumma, Sandro Tonali, Riccardo Calafiori, Nicolò Barella, Francesco Pio Esposito and Moise Kean They lead the first call for Roberto Mancini on his return to the Italian team, a list of 34 players in which the coach also opts for nine debutants.

The new additions to the list are the defenders Daniele Ghilardi (Roma), Michael Kayode (Brentford) and Eddy Kouadio (Monza), the midfielders Issa Doumbia (Sporting de Portugal), Alessandro Romano (Cagliari) and Antonio Vergara (Naples)the goalkeeper Massimo Pessina (Bologna) and the forwards Sebastiano Esposito (Sassuolo) and Mohamed Alí Zoma (Nuremberg).

Mancini keeps players like Donnarumma, Bastoni, Calafiori, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Federico Dimarco, Nicolò Barella, Sandro Tonali, Gianluca Scamacca and Giacomo Raspadori. It also recovers Nicolò Fagioli and Nicolò Zanioloin addition to Rolando Mandragora.

The call comes conditioned by some casualties. Manuel Locatelli, Federico Chiesa and Marco Palestra They will not be available due to physical problems.

Debut against Belgium

Mancini’s return will begin on September 25 against Belgium at the Olympic Stadium in Rome.

Italy will then visit Türkiye on the 28th, he will face France on October 2 in Saint-Denis and will close this first series against Türkiye on October 5 in Bologna.

Mancini, who returns to lead the Azzurra three years after his departure, was appointed coach in July after resigning Gennaro Gattuso in March by failing to qualify for the World Cup for the third consecutive time. Since then Silvio Baldini has served as interim.

In his first stage, between 2018 and 2023, Mancini won the 2020 Euro Cup and twice reached the final phase of the Nations League, finishing third on both occasions, although he also left Italy out of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Called list

Goalkeepers: Marco Carnesecchi (Atalanta), Gianluigi Donnarumma (Manchester City), Massimo Pessina (Bologna) and Guglielmo Vicario (Juventus).

Defenses: Honest Ahanor (Crystal Palace), Alessandro Bastoni (Inter), Riccardo Calafiori (Arsenal), Diego Coppola (Paris FC), Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli), Federico Dimarco (Inter), Daniele Ghilardi (Roma), Michael Kayode (Brentford), Eddy Kouadio (Monza), Gianluca Mancini (Roma) and Giorgio Scalvini (Atalanta).

Midfielders: Nicolò Barella (Inter), Bryan Cristante (Roma), Issa Doumbia (Sporting de Portugal), Nicolò Fagioli (Fiorentina), Davide Frattesi (Lazio), Rolando Mandragora (Torino), Alessandro Romano (Cagliari) and Sandro Tonali (Tottenham).

Fronts: Nicolò Cambiaghi (Bologna), Sebastiano Esposito (Sassuolo), Pio Esposito (Inter), Samuele Inácio (Borussia Dortmund), Moise Kean (Como), Daniel Maldini (Cagliari), Giacomo Raspadori (Atalanta), Gianluca Scamacca (Atalanta), Antonio Vergara (Napoli), Nicolò Zaniolo (Udinese) and Mohamed Alí Zoma (Nuremberg).

David Mitchell
David Mitchell

As a passionate sports journalist with over a decade of experience, I strive to uncover the heart and soul behind every game. Supported by a dedicated team of fellow enthusiasts and storytellers, I am committed to delivering insightful and engaging content that connects fans worldwide. Together, we celebrate the victories, challenges, and unifying spirit of sports through every article we craft.