Baldini names Italy U21 starting XI against France 24 hours early
CREMONA, ITALY - OCTOBER 14: Coach Silvio Baldini of Italy reacts during the UEFA Euro U21 Qualification match between Italy and Armenia at Stadio Giovanni Zini on October 14, 2025 in Cremona, Italy. (Photo by Marco M. Mantovani/Getty Images)
The Italy U21 side will take on France in a friendly on Friday evening, and Azzurrini head coach Silvio Baldini has already selected his starting XI, led by Milan teenager Francesco Camarda at centre-forward.
The Italy U21 squad will be in action against France and Belgium in a pair of international friendlies over the next few days, following their successful qualification for the U21 European Championships during the previous international break.
Baldini has a squad of 25 players available to select from. Those players are as follows:
Italy U21 squad for France and Belgium friendlies
Goalkeepers: Giovanni Daffara (Parma), Diego Mascardi (Torino), Lorenzo Palmisani (Frosinone), Massimo Pessina (Bologna);
Defenders: Davide Bartesaghi (Milan), Fabio Chiarodia (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Pietro Comuzzo (Torino), Eddy Kouadio (Monza), Emanuele Lulli (Roma), Filippo Mane (Borussia Dortmund), Brando Moruzzi (Avellino);
Midfielders: Lorenzo Amatucci (Deportivo La Coruña), Tommaso Berti (Cremonese), Matteo Dagasso (Venezia), Giacomo Faticanti (Avellino), Luca Lipani (Sassuolo), Mattia Mannini (Benevento), Kevin Zeroli (Südtirol);
Forwards: Alessio Cacciamani (Torino), Francesco Camarda (Milan), Luigi Cherubini (Benevento), Simone D’Uffizi (Ascoli), Jeff Ekhator (Juventus), Seydou Fini (Frosinone), Samuele Inacio (Borussia Dortmund).
Baldini sat down for his pre-match press conference on Friday, joined by Frosinone goalkeeper Lorenzo Palmisani, who will start between the posts in France.
The FIGC has confirmed that Palmisani will be protected by a back four of Filippo Mane, Pietro Comuzzo, Fabio Chiarodia and Davide Bartesaghi. Lorenzo Amatucci, Luca Lipani and Matteo Dagasso will start in midfield, with a front three of Seydou Fini, Camarda and Alessio Cacciamani.
Italy U21 starting XI vs. France: Palmisani; Mane, Comuzzo, Chiarodia, Bartesaghi; Lipani, Amatucci, Dagasso; Fini, Camarda, Cacciamani.
“They’vs all trained well,” said Baldini during his pre-match press conference on Thursday.
“We’ve got two matches with not a lot of time to recover. I will evaluate whether to make substitutions during the match, or leave a block of players for the game in Laval and another block for the game against Belgium.”
He continued: “We’re a family here. I compare it to when somebody works abroad, but returns home to celebrations and a warm welcome. I feel those same emotions when I see these guys. They know how to separate the hard work we do on the pitch and the fun we have off it. There are rules, but the first one is to be joyful. I want to see them laugh and joke. For me, watching them is a gift.”
Looking ahead to the test against France, Baldini added: “France are a strong team, but we don’t care who we face. We care about being free and playing the way we want to play. We have to do our thing on the ball. If they don’t allow us to, we also know how to make sacrifices, to recover and keep the spaces tight.”
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