On the eve of the match against Ireland, the coach of the Under 21 team Carmine Nunziata he warned his players about the difficulties of the match after the avalanche of goals that came in the derby against San Marino a few days ago: “We are facing a totally different opponent than San Marino. We will find an organised team, with good players: it will be a tough and difficult match, but it will be a match to play as we have done all the others, with intensity, desire and determination to reach a very important objective for us”.
Prati and Fazzini did not leave for Norway; Tommaso Baldanzi is instead there. “It’s a shame to have lost two important players, but there are others who will do well if called upon. The idea is to change a few things, but we still have a training session available to evaluate. The team is doing well – continues Nunziata -. We are at the start of the championship, not everyone is playing but the motivation to reach a goal makes you give something more. We hope that the boys find continuity and space for the entire championship: when you give them confidence, they repay it”.
The spotlight was inevitably on Pio Esposito, who scored four goals in Latina against San Marino: “He did something that doesn’t happen often, but we have many important players. We knew it would be a difficult group, with many good teams. We must be focused on our goal, which is to go to the European Championship”.