Stay Signed In
Do you want to access your site more quickly on this computer? Check this box, and your username and password will be remembered for two weeks. Click logout to turn this off.
Stay Safe
Do not check this box if you are using a public computer. You don't want anyone seeing your personal info or messing with your site.
Forwards: Palladino (Juventus), Pazzini (Fiorentina), Pellè (Cesena), Giuseppe Rossi (Parma)
Pictures of the azzurini's
Player spotlight
Giampaolo Pazzini
Azzurrini starlet Giampaolo Pazzini can’t quite believe he has scored an historic hat-trick in the new Wembley Stadium.
“I certainly never even dreamed this would happen,” he said after Italy’s 3-3 draw with the England Under-21 side.
“Just yesterday I didn’t expect to score one goal here, let alone three with the first after less than 30 seconds. I am feeling incredible joy right now.”
The Fiorentina striker wrote his name in several different pages of the history books with this match.
He became the first player ever to score at the new Wembley in this inaugural competitive match, an Under-21 friendly.
He netted within 29 seconds, the fastest ever international goal here, shattering the record of 38 seconds set by Bryan Robson against Yugoslavia in 1989.
Pazzini also joins the short list of foreigners to have netted a hat-trick at Wembley, although he is by no means the first Italian.
Gennaro Ruotolo achieved the feat for Genoa in the 5-2 Anglo-Italian Cup Final win over Port Vale.
Roberto Di Matteo also scored three goals under the towers, but in different games. He was on target for Chelsea in the 2-0 Cup win over Middlesbrough on May 17, 1998, again a year later against the same team and in May 2000 to beat Aston Villa.
The first ever foreign hat-trick at Wembley was scored by Nandor Hidegkuti in Hungary’s legendary 6-3 victory over England on November 25, 1953.
Giampaolo Pazzini inaugurated the new Wembley with an historic hat-trick in Italy's entertaining 3-3 draw with England Under-21s!
Italy took the kick-off and within the opening 29 seconds Fiorentina forward Pazzini had shrugged off Nigel Reo-Coker and smashed a perfect right-foot shot between Lee Camp at the near post from 20 metres! There could be no brighter start for the Azzurrini and Pazzini wrote his name in the history books with the fastest ever goal at Wembley.
The new Wembley opened its doors after almost seven years of reconstruction work and welcomed 55,700 people – the biggest ever attendance for an Under-21 game. On-form Juventus starlet Raffaele Palladino pulled out with injury, so Giuseppe Rossi and Pazzini got the nod in a 4-3-3 formation.
Gabriel Agbonlahor had timid penalty appeals, Alessandro Rosina of Torino drilled wide, while a swinging cross from David Bentley was tipped over by Gianluca Curci. The Roma reserve ‘keeper also pushed his free kick round the far post.
The first yellow card at the new Wembley went to Andrea Mantovani, who brought down Leroy Lita on the edge of the area. Kieran Richardson’s resulting free kick took a deflection off the defensive wall to go over the bar.
Pazzini found space in the area again from Viola teammate Riccardo Montolivo’s pass and it took a crucial tackle from Ferdinand to charge down the strike. Soon after Pazzini volleyed a corner wide of the near post with the inside of his left foot.
The Azzurrini continued to have the best chances with Rosina nodding over a Giorgio Chiellini cross from the left flank following some fine build-up play.
England equalised with a long-range free kick from Blackburn Rovers man Bentley, the first Englishman to score at the near Wembley. Curci seemed to see it late as it curled over the wall and into the bottom corner at the near post.
These two teams will meet again in the group phase of the Under-21 European Championships in June. Bentley's angled drive skimmed the far post from the edge of the box with the outside of his right foot, Curci just getting a fingertip to it.
From the resulting corner Chiellini was accidentally kicked in the head by Ridgewell. As the Juventus man and Italy Under-21 captain was off the field with blood pouring down his face, another corner found Agbonlahor to blast over the bar.
Rosina nearly struck on the counter-attack, but his long-range shot didn't have enough power to trouble Camp.
Coach Pierluigi Casiraghi threw on Raffaele De Martino and Andrea Raggi. England tried to match Italy's start in the second half, but Richardson's strike was well held by Curci. Moments later Parma's Rossi had a shot charged down from the edge of the area.
A cross found Pazzini for a Ferdinand tackle from seven yards, then the Fiorentina hitman was halted for an extremely dubious offside decision.
But it was England who went 2-1 up. Chiellini slipped and allowed Derbyshire's cross to come through for Wayne Routledge to slide in at the back post.
However, the lead lasted all of 60 seconds. Rosina's corner was put back into the centre by Alessandro Nocerino for that man Pazzini to tap in from six yards!
Chiellini tried to turn the game round completely, drilling over from the edge of the area, and Rossi's daisy-cutter was well caught.
It was certainly an entertaining game and England substitute Matt Derbyshire restored their advantage, redirecting a wayward strike. It was his first goal in his debut cap.
Soon after Chiellini got on the end of a Rosina free kick, bringing a good stop out of Camp from point-blank range. Richardson volleyed well wide at the back post.
Casiraghi made a multiple substitution, with Genoa's Criscito, future Fiorentina starlet Arturo Lupoli, Andrea Coda of Empoli, Antonio Nocerino and Andrea Lazzari coming on.
Camp had to rush outside his area and chest the ball away from hat-trick seeking Pazzini following a defensive error.
Inter defender Marco Andreolli damaged his nose when he accidentally clashed heads with Lita and required treatment to stem the blood.
Even when playing in 10 men, Italy still managed to make it 3-3. Pazzini completed his spectacular hat-trik. The counter-attack was sparked by Lazzari and carried on by Rosina. Pazzini took on Cahill and placed an accurate angled drive into the far corner for a wonderful goal.
Pazzini became the first man to score a hat-trick at Wembley since Paul Scholes against Poland in March 1999.
Rosina pounced on a poor clearance and sprinted forward for Camp to smother the strike with his chest.
Pazzini incredibly skimmed a fourth goal! Camp spilled a long-range Lupoli snapshot and the Fiorentina reserve threw himself at the loose ball, but could not rearrange himself in time to tap in. He was given a warm round of applause as he left the field for Graziano Pelle'.
An appalling Hoyte clearance went straight to Rosina in the D, but luckily for the England defender Lupoli was offside clear on goal. The Azzurrini were on the attack in the final minutes and some desperate defending stopped Lazzari tapping in Lupoli's cross from the right.
News about the azzurini's
About EC 2007
Preparation scedual of the Azzurini's
Pierluigi Casiraghi has named his Italy squad for the Under-21 European Championship this summer.
The tactician had chosen a preliminary squad of 30 names earlier this month, but has today whittled that list down to 23.
There are few surprises with Roma’s Alberto Aquilani making the squad after a season disrupted by injury, while Giuseppe Rossi’s goals to keep Parma in the top-flight have been recognised too.
Arsenal owned striker Arturo Lupoli, who will join Fiorentina next month, has missed out though.
The Finals will be held in Holland from June 10 to 23 and five-time champions Italy will face England, Serbia and the Czech Republic in Group B.
The Azzurrini, who will meet up at Coverciano on June 1, are scheduled to play their first match against Serbia on June 11 and will then play England and the Czech Republic on June 14 and 17.
The winners and runners-up in each of the two groups will play each other in the semi-finals. The Final will take place on June 23 at Groningen’s Euroborg Stadium.
The European adventure for the Under 21 starts on Friday, June 1st, when coach Pierluigi Asiraghi will meet with the group in Coverciano for the training camp that precedes The Netherlands. One week of preparation in Italy for the team, then two days of work in Wolfheze to adapt to the climate and environment. Serbia, England, and the Czech Republic are the opponents of the Under 21 team in the qualifying round: Italy will play against Serbia on Monday,
June 11th, on Thursday, the 14th, they play against England and on Sunday, the 17th, against the Czech Republic.
Here is the detailed program:
Friday, June 1st.
Team meets at 12:00 pm at:
C.T.F. in COVERCIANO -Flnce
Via G.D'annunzio 138 -
Tel. 055 6120230 - fax 06 6120223
Saturday 2.06.
10,30 Practice session
13,15 press conference in Hotel
* 16,00 official photo
* POSTPONED TO SAME TIME ON 04.06.
17,30 Practice session closed door
Sunday 03.06.
10,30 Practice session
Tuesday 05.06.
13,15 press conference in Hotel
17,30 Practice session closed door
Wednesday 06.06
10,30 Practice session
18,00 Practice session/match
Italy-A.S Lucchese Libertas
press conference
Thursday 07.06.
10,30 Practice session
13,15 press conference
17,30 Practice session
Venerdi 8.06.
10,30 Practice session
16,00/17,50 l.t. charter flight AZ 8000
FLORENCE/DUSSELDORF
bus transfer to Hotel (km. 110)
BILDERBERG HOTEL DE BUUNDERKAMP
Buunderkamp 8 - WOLFHEZE
Tel. +31 (0) 26 4821166 - Fax +31 (0) 26 4821898
www.bilderberg.nl
Saturday 9.06.
10,30 Practice session
13,15 press conference in Hotel
17,30 Practice session closed door
Sunday 10.06.
10,30 Practice session
press conference as per UEFA regulations
17,30 Practice session closed door c/o
Stadium "De Goffert" di NIJMEGEN
Monday 11.06.
20,45 SERBIA - ITALY
Stadium "De Goffert" di NIJMEGEN
press conference
Tuesday 12.06.
10,30 Practice session
13,15 press conference in Hotel
17,30 Practice session closed door
Wednesday 13.06.
10,30 Practice session
press conference as per UEFA regulations
17,30 Practice session closed door c/o
Stadium "Gelredome" di ARNHEM
Thursday 14.06.
20,45 ENGLAND - ITALY
Stadium "Gelredome" di ARNHEM
press conference
Friday 15.06.
10,30 Practice session
13,15 press conference in Hotel
17,30 Practice session closed door
Saturday 16.06.
10,30 Practice session
press conference as per UEFA regulations
17,30 Practice session closed door c/o
Stadium "Gelredome" di ARNHEM
Sunday 17.06.
20,45 ITALIA - CECO REP.
Stadium "Gelredome" di ARNHEM
press conference
THE FIRST TWO TEAMS IN EACH GROUP WILL PLAY THE SEMIFINALS
If eliminated the team returns on 18.06.
IF THEY QUALIFY:
Monday 18.06.
10,30 Practice session
13,15 press conference in Hotel
17,30 Practice session closed door
Martedi 19.06.
10,30 Practice session
press conference as per UEFA regulations
17,30 Practice session closed door
Wednesday 20.06.
semifinal in Heerenveen 18,15
semifinal in Arnhem 20,45
If first in the group in Arnhem
If second in the group in Heerenveen
press conference
If eliminated team returns on 21.06.
IF QUALIFIED:
Thursday 21.06.
10,315 press conference in Hotel
17,30 Practice session closed door
Friday 22.06.
10,30 Practice session
press conference as per UEFA regulations
17,30 Practice session closed door c/o
Stadium "Euroborg" di GRONINGEN
Saturday 23.06.
20,45 FINAL ½ PLACE Stadium "Euroborg"
in GRONINGEN
press conference
Monday 24.06.
Team returns
Note
" if the English team qualifies for the first two places in the standings at the end of the qualifying round, since these European championships are valid for the Beijing Olympic qualifications, the two third-place teams in the two groups will play a match on 21.06 at 8:45 pm in NIJMEGEN for a spot in the Olympic Games as the fourth place team.
" ALL PRACTICE SESSIONS FOR THE ITALIAN TEAM WILL BE HELD IN ITALY: at C.T.F. in COVERCIANO
IN THE NETHERLANDS : at the SPORTCENTRUM in PAPENDAL
( Papendal 8 km. from the Hotel )
Andreolli believes in the Azzurrini
The Italian Under-21 side admit their excitement at playing in the new Wembley Stadium and Marco Andreolli is confident they can go far.
“To play at Wembley with the Azzurri jersey in front of such a large crowd was an incredible feeling,” said the Inter defender.
“We put in a good performance, even if there were a few too many mistakes.”
The 3-3 draw with the England Under-21 side was a fine way to inaugurate the new structure and a positive test considering these two teams will meet again in the group phase of the European Championships in July.
“This is an excellent squad and we all get along well. We worked hard to prepare for this prestigious match, that was also a valid exam for the tournament in Holland that is only two months away,” added Andreolli.
“We will take on England again along with Serbia and the Czech Republic, but we are confident that we are on the right path with Coach Pierluigi Casiraghi.”
Giampaolo Pazzini netted all three of Italy’s goals and laid out the welcome mat for Arturo Lupoli – who has already signed a deal to join him at Fiorentina this summer.
“Lupoli really impressed me today and it was good to play alongside him,” said the hat-trick hero. “I’m sure he will fit in brilliantly at Fiorentina.”
Azzurrini lose captain Potenza
Italy captain Alessandro Potenza will miss the UEFA European Under-21 Championship in the Netherlands after suffering an injury to his right thigh in training on Thursday.
Experienced full-back
The news will come as a blow to coach Pierluigi Casiraghi as the influential ACF Fiorentina full-back is one of the most experienced players in the Azzurrini squad. Potenza made 19 appearances for Fiorentina in the 2006/07 season and has enjoyed previous spells with Parma FC, Ancona Calcio, AC Chievo Verona and RCD Mallorca.
Motta on standby
The 23-year-old also played all 270 minutes of Italy's finals matches at the UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Portugal last summer. Should UEFA's medical staff confirm Potenza's injury to be sufficiently serious as to rule him out of the competition, Casiraghi has requested for Udinese Calcio right-back Marco Motta to replace him. A 21-year-old product of Atalanta BC' youth system, Motta played 16 games in Serie A for Udinese last season.
