Luciano Spalletti is attending the Italy Under-21 match against Turkey and assures ‘some of these lads could be’ at Euro 2024.
The senior Italy coach is in the stands at the Stadio Paolo Mazza for this crucial European Under-21 Championship qualifier.
He returned to the Peninsula after friendly wins in the United States over Venezuela and Ecuador.
“There are several players here who can come to work with us in the Nazionale and who could’ve been part of the tour in America,” Spalletti told RAI Sport.
“I speak continually with (Under-21 coach Carmine) Nunziata, we work in the same way. We are both coaches of the Nazionale, and that also goes for the Under-20 side.
“The Under-21 team is an extension of the Nazionale A. We had two friendlies and the opportunity to experiment, while Nunziata’s side had to earn qualification. We chose to split the players like that considering the importance of the games.”
Spalletti was asked which of the Azzurrini he was considering for the senior Italy squad.
“Those you all see, it depends on what they prove on the pitch and also what we need to compile a rounded squad. It depends also on how much they care about the Nazionale, their professionalism and humility in doing things.”
Among the players in the starting XI against Turkey who could be in the Euro 2024 group this summer there are Wilfried Gnonto of Leeds, Cesare Casadei of Chelsea and Bologna defender Riccardo Calafiori.
The youth sectors are doing well at the moment, as today both the Under-17 side and Under-19 team qualified for their European Championship tournaments.
More must-reads: