Mancini keeps focus on young players for Italy training camp

Posted April 26, 2019 7:00 am

The Associated Press

AC Milan's Andrea Conti, left, and Lazio's Quissanga Bastos challenge for the ball during the Italian Cup, second leg semifinal soccer match between AC Milan and Lazio, at the San Siro stadium, in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, April 24, 2019. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno) The Associated Press

ROME (AP) - Three players born in 2001 and a handful yet to appear in Serie A have been called up for a training camp with Italy's national team.

At just 17, Inter Milan striker Eddie Salcedo was the youngest player included by coach Roberto Mancini on Friday.

Two 18-year-olds were also selected: Roma midfielder Alessio Riccardi and Juventus defender Paolo Gozzi.

Italy's second training camp of the year will be held on Monday and Tuesday in Florence. Mancini is using the sessions to observe young talent as part of a rejuvenation process following Italy's failure to qualify for last year's World Cup. None of the regular starters were called up.

Italy won its opening two European Championship qualifiers over Finland and Liechtenstein last month and next faces Greece and Bosnia and Herzegovina in June.

Italy will host the opening match of Euro 2020 at Rome's Stadio Olimpico.

Under-21 coach Luigi Di Biagio will also take part in the training camp, as Italy is also focused on the under-21 Euros it is hosting in June.

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Italy:

Goalkeepers: Emil Audero (Sampdoria), Marco Carnesecchi (Atalanta), Alex Meret (Napoli), Alessandro Plizzari (AC Milan).

Defenders: Alessandro Bastoni (Parma), Raoul Bellanova (Milan), Davide Biraschi (Genoa), Kevin Bonifazi (Spal), Mattia Caldara (Milan), Andrea Conti (Milan), Federico Dimarco (Parma), Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Empoli), Paolo Gozzi (Juventus), Sebastiano Luperto (Napoli), Nicola Murru (Sampdoria), Luca Pellegrini (Cagliari), Giuseppe Pezzella (Genoa), Filippo Romagna (Cagliari), Francesco Vicari (Spal).

Midfielders: Francesco Cassata (Frosinone), Danilo Cataldi (Lazio), Alessandro Murgia (Spal), Hans Nicolussi Caviglia (Juventus), Manolo Portanova (Juventus), Alessio Riccardi (Roma), Mattia Valoti (Spal), Emanuel Vignato (Chievo Verona), Nicolo Zaniolo (Roma).

Forwards: Patrick Cutrone (Milan), Simone Edera (Bologna), Riccardo Orsolini (Bologna), Andrea Pinamonti (Frosinone), Vittorio Parigini (Torino), Andrea Petagna (Spal), Eddie Salcedo (Inter).

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More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/apf-Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Sampdoria's goalkeeper Emil Audero, left, catches the ball ahead of Genoa's Andrea Favilli during a Serie A soccer match between Sampdoria and Genoa, at the Luigi Ferraris Stadium in Genoa, Italy, Sunday, April 14, 2019. Sampdoria won 2-0. (Simone Arveda/ANSA via AP) The Associated Press

Roma's Nicolo Zaniolo, left, is challenged by Udinese's Marco D'Alessandro during the Serie a soccer match between Roma and Udinese at the Olympic Stadium in Rome, Saturday, April 13, 2019. (Claudio Peri/ANSA via AP) The Associated Press

Bologna's Riccardo Orsolini celebrates after scoring a goal during a Serie A soccer match between Bologna and Sampdoria at the Dall'Ara stadium in Bologna, Italy, Saturday, April 20, 2019. (Giorgio Benvenuti/ANSA via AP) The Associated Press

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