Casiraghi announces U-21 Championship final roster

By: Francesco | June 1st, 2009

On June 16th, Italy will play their first game of the UEFA U-21 Championship 2009 vs. Serbia. The Azzurrini find themselves in a group with Belarus, Serbia, and hosts Sweden. Italy have always been successful at this level however they have not won the U-21 Championship since 2004. Pierluigi Casiraghi has been unsuccessful with the Azzurrini so far since taking over from Claudio Gentile in 2006 and this is arguably his last chance. I think there is a good chance Casiraghi is relieved of his duties if Italy doesn’t at least reach the final of this tournament. The Azzurrini will start training this week. Roster after the jump.

GOALKEEPERS

1. Andrea Consigli (Atalanta)
12. Salvatore Sirigu (Ancona)
22. Andrea Seculin (Fiorentina)

DEFENDERS

3. Marco Andreolli (Sassuolo)
15. Salvatore Bocchetti (Genoa)
4. Domenico Criscito (Genoa)
11. Paolo De Ceglie (Juventus)
6. Lino Marzorati (Empoli)
2. Marco Motta (Roma)
14. Francesco Pisano (Cagliari)
13. Andrea Ranocchia (Bari)

MIDFIELDERS

7. Ignazio Abate (Torino)
16. Antonio Candreva (Livorno)
18. Alessio Cerci (Atalanta)
21. Luca Cigarini (Atalanta)
23. Daniele Dessena (Sampdoria)
8. Claudio Marchisio (Juventus)
5. Piermario Morosini (Vicenza)
17. Andrea Poli (Sassuolo)

STRIKERS

9. Robert Acquafresca (Cagliari)
20. Mario Balotelli (Inter)
10. Sebastian Giovinco (Juventus)
19. Alberto Paloschi (Parma)

Suprisingly Napoli’s Fabiano Santacroce was left home, and Andrea Ranocchia of Bari was included. Lorenzo De Silvestri also misses out, but that is understandable as Delio Rossi benched him most of the season. Alessio Cerci is called up despite suffering injury trouble all year, and Andrea Poli is called in after a solid year at Sassuolo. Alberto Paloschi gets a call up after his splendid season at Parma (12 goals). After this U-21 Championship, the only players that will be eligible for selection for the next cycle are Paloschi, Balotelli, Poli, Ranocchia, and Seculin. Everyone else will have to try to work their way into the full national team set-up if they want to wear Azzurro again.

Category: Azzurri, Players, Preview, Rumors & News, Serie A, Serie B

Tags: Azzurri, Azzurrini, Italy, Pierluigi Casiraghi, Players, Preview, Rumors & News, Serie A, Serie B, UEFA, Under 21

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Comments  

• Weston |  June 1st, 2009 at 3:28 pm

  
  
  

  I sure hope giovinco puts balotelli to shame!

  Posted from United States

  

• Johonna |  June 1st, 2009 at 4:02 pm

  
  
  

  Wow, Weston, way to pull together to support the team.

  I, on the other hand, hope the whole team does well.

  Posted from United States

  

• Vincent |  June 1st, 2009 at 5:21 pm

  
  
  

  Pretty strong squad. Hope to see some of these names in full Azzurri in the fall.

  Disappointed not to see Santacroce on the roster

  Posted from United States

  

• Mike Rak |  June 1st, 2009 at 9:52 pm

  
  
  

  can someone explain to me the rules for U-21 teams? Marco Motta is 22

  Posted from United States

  

• asem |  June 1st, 2009 at 11:57 pm

  
  
  

  Yes Mike Rak,
  but Motta was born after the cut-off date for this tournament, so even though he is 22, he is still eligible to play.

  Posted from United States

  

• Nnahoj |  June 2nd, 2009 at 1:18 am

  
  
  

  It applies according to the players’ age at the time qualification for the tournament started. For example, for the 2009 tournament, the players eligible would have to be born no earlier than 1st January 1986. So when qualification for this tournament started back in 2007, the players would have been 21 years or younger.

  Posted from United States

  

• Nnahoj |  June 2nd, 2009 at 1:27 am

  
  
  

  Seems like a solid squad. Casiraghi really seems to like this Candreva guy though; don’t really rate him.

  Guess the line-up would be:

  —————–Consigli—————

  Motta—Bocchetti—Criscito—De Ceglie

  ——–Abate—-Cigarini—Marchisio—

  —————-Giovinco—————-

  ——–Acquafresca—-Balotelli——–

  That’s a championship winning squad right there. Casiraghi doesn’t have many excuses for failure.

  Posted from United States

  

• alessio |  June 2nd, 2009 at 2:36 am

  
  
  

  Does Criscito still play as a cb for the u-21 team?

  Posted from Spain

  

• Francesco |  June 2nd, 2009 at 5:55 am

  
  
  

  Nnahoj, if Casiraghi goes with your line-up, then Abate would be on the bench and a central midfielder like Dessena or Morosini would play. Abate is a pure winger he’d be lost in the center. Casiraghi could also choose to play a 4-3-2-1 with Giovinco and Abate behind Balotelli.

  Alessio, I think that is one of the questions Casiraghi will have to answer. Since his move to Genoa, Criscito has been a left-back. So Casiraghi can either keep him on the left and have Andreolli or Marzoratti partner Bocchetti in the center or keep Criscito in the center. I think he’ll try Criscito on the left at first.

  Posted from United States

  

• Ranjeet |  June 2nd, 2009 at 8:00 am

  
  
  

  I thought he would pick Santon.

  Posted from United States

  

• Giro |  June 2nd, 2009 at 12:52 pm

  
  
  

  Santon was called up by Lippi

  Posted from United States

  

• Weston |  June 2nd, 2009 at 12:55 pm

  
  
  

  i was just joking, although giovinco does deserve sucess a lot more then balotelli, and i a much better player and person.

  Posted from United States

  

Comments are closed