Italy at Euro 2024 – Eight players fight for three spots left in squad

Luciano Spalletti has started to finalise his Italy squad for the upcoming European Championship and reports suggest eight players are fighting for the three remaining spots in the team.

The Azzurri coach told the press on Tuesday that ’70-80%’ of the squad had already been decided ahead of next month’s tournament in Germany, exciting fans as the team prepare to try and defend their European title in the summer.

Italy find themselves in Group B of Euro 2024 alongside Spain, Croatia and Albania, setting up a tough and testing start to the tournament. Hopes are high for Spalletti and his players, especially after the Azzurri’s painful absence from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Pages 20 and 21 of today’s Gazzetta dello Sport detail how 23 players have seemingly already been decided for Italy’s Euro 2024 squad, leaving just three spots left for eight possible candidates.

In goal, there seems to be a fight between Alex Meret and Marco Carnesecchi to be the third-choice goalkeeper. There are no doubts in defence, but things are more complicated in the midfield and frontline.

Stephan El Shaarawy, Giacomo Bonaventura and Michael Folorunsho are all reportedly fighting for a spot in the midfield, whilst Mattia Zaccagni, Matteo Politano and Riccardo Orsolini compete to join the attack.

Likely Italy squad for Euro 2024

Goalkeepers: Donnarumma, Vicario, Meret / Carnesecchi;

Defenders: Darmian, Scalvini, Acerbi, Buongiorno, Calafiori, Mancini, Di Lorenzo, Bellanova, Cambiaso, Dimarco, Bastoni;

Midfielders: Jorginho, Cristante, Barella, Locatelli, Frattesi, Pellegrini, El Shaarawy / Bonaventura / Folorunsho;

Forwards: Scamacca, Retegui, Raspadori, Chiesa, Zaccagni / Politano / Orsolini.