Milan have officially sent Christian Comotto to Spezia on loan, but there is still no all clear from Warren Bondo for Cremonese.

As predicted, the Rossoneri have loaned 17-year-old midfielder Comotto to Spezia until the end of the season, having previously extended his contract to June 2028.

There is no option to make this move permanent.

Milan frustrated by Bondo refusal

Meanwhile, Milan are still waiting for Bondo to accept a similar structure for the loan to newly promoted Serie A side Cremonese.

It would be a dry loan, meaning no option to buy, with Cremonese covering his entire salary and perhaps even adding a few bonuses in too.

However, the former Monza midfielder is still not open to accepting the transfer and it remains to be seen if the growing pressure will make a dent in his position.

Set to turn 22 next month, Bondo cost €10m plus up to another €5m in add-ons to sign from Monza in February 2025.

He made only five competitive appearances in the Rossoneri jersey for a total 164 minutes of football.

Serie B side Spezia are hoping to take Milan young talents Francesco Camarda and Davide Bartesaghi on loan to give them more experience.

The pair have already made their senior debuts for the Rossoneri, but also know there will be precious little playing time next season, especially after the team failed to qualify for Europe.

With that in mind, and the Milan Futuro youth team relegated from Serie C to Serie D, their best chance of developing is a loan to a Serie B club.

Milan talents can play at Spezia

Spezia have previous in this area, having helped Inter and Italy Under-21 international Francesco Pio Esposito flourish during his loan experience this term.

Bartesaghi is a 19-year-old left-back who can also play in central defence when needed.

Camarda turned 17 in March and is a centre-forward who helped Italy win the European Under-17 Championship in 2024.

He made history in November 2023 when becoming the youngest ever Serie A debutant, aged 15 years and eight months.

The 23-man Italy squad to participate in the European Under-21 Championship has been announced, including Cesare Casadei and Diego Coppola, but Francesco Pio Esposito is out injured.

The tournament runs from June 11 to 28 in Slovakia.

The Azzurrini are in Group A and will open against Romania on June 11, then face hosts Slovakia on June 14 before the final game of this phase with Spain on June 17.

The top two from each group go into the quarter-finals, which are played on June 21 and 22.

Italy begin U21 Euros adventure

Coach Carmine Nunziata had called up Spezia striker Francesco Pio Esposito, but he has been ruled out of the competition due to an injury.

Pisa defender Giovanni Bonfanti and Sassuolo midfielder Cristian Volpato were also cut from the long list.

Torino midfielder Casadei and Verona defender Diego Coppola are currently with the senior squad for the World Cup qualifiers with Norway and Moldova, but will join the U21 side after June 10.

Italy squad for U21 European Championship

Goalkeepers: 1 Sebastiano Desplanches (Palermo), 22 Jacopo Sassi (Crotone), 12 Gioele Zacchi (Latina);

Defenders: 15 Diego Coppola (Hellas Verona), 6 Daniele Ghilardi (Hellas Verona), 19 Gabriele Guarino (Carrarese), 13 Michael Kayode (Brentford), 5 Lorenzo Pirola (Olympiacos), 3 Matteo Ruggeri (Atalanta), 16 Riccardo Turicchia (Juventus), 2 Mattia Zanotti (Lugano);

Midfielders: 23 Alessandro Bianco (Monza), 8 Cesare Casadei (Torino), 18 Issa Doumbia (Venezia), 14 Giovanni Fabbian (Bologna), 21 Jacopo Fazzini (Empoli), 7 Cher Ndour (Fiorentina), 20 Niccolò Pisilli (Roma), 4 Matteo Prati (Cagliari);

Forwards: 9 Giuseppe Ambrosino (Frosinone), 11 Tommaso Baldanzi (Roma), 10 Wilfried Gnonto (Leeds United), 17 Luca Koleosho (Burnley).

Cremonese are the latest team to secure promotion to Serie A after beating Spezia in the Serie B play-off final on Sunday evening, which means that the line-up for the 2025-26 season is now complete. 

Cremonese beat Spezia by an aggregate of 3-2 over the two legs of the play-off final, with all five goals coming in the second leg. 

Cremonese, the away side on Sunday night, went 3-0 up by the 79th minute after a brace from Manuel De Luca and an individual strike from Michele Colloccolo, which was enough to hold on for despite a late, quick-fire Spezia fightback with goals from Francesco Pio Esposito and Luca Vignali in the 83rd and 85th minute. 

La Cremo return to the top flight after a two-year absence, having been relegated at the end of the 2022-23 Serie A campaign. 

They join Sassuolo and Pisa as the newly promoted sides for 2025-26, replacing the relegated Empoli, Venezia and Monza. 

Completed 2025-26 Serie A line-up 

Atalanta, Bologna, Cagliari, Como, Cremonese, Fiorentina, Genoa, Inter, Juventus, Lazio, Lecce, Milan, Napoli, Parma, Pisa, Roma, Sassuolo, Torino, Udinese, Verona.

The first legs of the Serie B promotion play-off semi-finals were played this evening, with Spezia earning a comfortable 2-0 win away to Catanzaro, while Cremonese lost 2-1 at Juve Stabia.

Sassuolo and Pisa already secured automatic promotion, so there is one more spot left to be in Serie A next season.

These ties will be decided with the second leg played on Sunday May 25, then the Final is played on Thursday May 29 and Sunday June 1.

In the preliminary rounds, Catanzaro saw off Cesena, while Juve Stabia eliminated Palermo.

Spezia and Cremonese earned direct access to the semi-finals after finishing third and fourth respectively in the Serie B table.

The rules state that if the play-offs are tied after two legs, then the team that finished higher up the regular season Serie B standings will go through.

There are no plans for extra time or a penalty shoot-out.

Serie B promotion play-off semi-finals

Spezia have one foot in the Final after their comfortable 2-0 victory away to Catanzaro.

They came out fighting in the second half, as Francesco Pio Esposito sparked the rapid counter-attack so Giuseppe Aurelio set up Giuseppe Di Sergio’s tap-in, then Esposito got his own name on the scoresheet with a splendid free kick.

Catanzaro 0-2 Spezia

Di Serio 49 (S), Pio Esposito 61 (S)

21-05-2025 19:30

1/2 Final

Stadio Nicola Ceravolo

Catanzaro

Spezia

0 - 2

Catanzaro

Spezia

Starting lineups

22

Mirko Pigliacelli

Goalkeeper

6

Federico Bonini

Defender

3

Giacomo Quagliata

Defender

80'

23

Nicolò Brighenti

Defender

71'

14

Stefano Scognamillo

Defender

84

Tommaso Cassandro

Defender

10

Jacopo Petriccione

Midfielder

80'

20

Simone Pontisso

Midfielder

56'

9

Pietro Iemmello

Attacker

8

Rares Ilie

Attacker

28

Tommaso Biasci

Attacker

56'

66

Stefano Gori

Goalkeeper

55

Petko Hristov

Defender

37

Ales Mateju

Defender

2

Przemyslaw Wisniewski

Defender

8

Ádám Nagy

Midfielder

29

Francesco Cassata

Midfielder

90'

31

Giuseppe Aurelio

Midfielder

80

Rachid Kouda

Midfielder

71'

9

Francesco Pio Esposito

Attacker

90'

20

Giuseppe Di Serio

Attacker

81'

7

Salvatore Elia

Attacker

70'

Substitutes

80

Mamadou Coulibaly

Midfielder

25

Ludovico Gelmi

Goalkeeper

99

Edoardo Borrelli

Goalkeeper

82

Christian Corradi

Defender

24

Riccardo Pagano

Midfielder

4

Matias Antonini

Defender

21

Marco Pompetti

Midfielder

56'

90

Filippo Pittarello

Attacker

56'

70

Marco D’Alessandro

Attacker

71'

19

Andrea La Mantia

Attacker

80'

45

Nicolò Buso

Attacker

80'

13

Arkadiusz Reca

Midfielder

4

Salva Ferrer

Defender

23

Leandro Chichizola

Goalkeeper

65

Simone Giorgeschi

Defender

12

Diego Mascardi

Goalkeeper

44

Mattia Benvenuto

Defender

82

Halid Djankpata

Midfielder

25

Filippo Bandinelli

Midfielder

70'

32

Luca Vignali

Defender

71'

11

Diego Falcinelli

Attacker

81'

17

Antonio Colak

Attacker

90'

36

Pietro Candelari

Midfielder

90'

The other semi-final is a little more in the balance, as Juve Stabia have a slender 2-1 advantage over Cremonese after the first leg.

The hosts dominated the opening stages, eventually making it count with Christian Pierobon ready to pounce on the deflected Andrea Adorante cross.

They should’ve had more with Romano Floriani Mussolini thumping the crossbar, then did double their lead when Andrea Fulignati fingertipped a Leonardo Candellone header into the path of Adorante.

Cremonese had the opportunity to get back into it moments later only for Manuel De Luca to blast his penalty into the stands.

They did get one back in the end with Dennis Johnsen meeting the Tommaso Barbieri low cross.

Juve Stabia 2-1 Cremonese

Pierobon 34 (JS), Adorante 58 (JS), Johnsen 77 (C)

Missed penalty: De Luca 63 (C)

21-05-2025 19:30

1/2 Final

Stadio Romeo Menti

Juve Stabia

Cremonese

2 - 1

Player statistic

1st half

Christian Pierobon		34'
Nicola Mosti		38'

2nd half

Marco Ruggero		55'
Andrea Adorante		58'
		63'		Manuel De Luca
		77'		Dennis Johnsen (Assist: Tommaso Barbieri)
Patryk Peda		79'

Match statistic

42

Possession %

58

14

Total shots

7

3

Shots on target

2

9

Shots off target

3

2

Blocked shots

2

3

Corners

5

0

Offsides

1

22

Fouls

14

Juve Stabia

Cremonese

Starting lineups

20

Demba Thiam

Goalkeeper

28

Cristian Andreoni

Defender

6

Marco Bellich

Defender

4

Marco Ruggero

Defender

45

Patryk Peda

Defender

15

Romano Floriani Mussolini

Defender

74'

10

Christian Pierobon

Midfielder

98

Nicola Mosti

Midfielder

74'

9

Andrea Adorante

Attacker

81'

11

Kevin Piscopo

Attacker

90'

27

Leonardo Candellone

Attacker

89'

1

Andrea Fulignati

Goalkeeper

23

Federico Ceccherini

Defender

55

Francesco Folino

Defender

15

Matteo Bianchetti

Defender

46'

4

Tommaso Barbieri

Defender

27

Jari Vandeputte

Midfielder

64'

19

Michele Castagnetti

Midfielder

83'

18

Michele Collocolo

Midfielder

11

Dennis Johnsen

Attacker

9

Manuel De Luca

Attacker

69'

7

Paulo Azzi

Attacker

Substitutes

1

Kristjan Matosevic

Goalkeeper

2

Danilo Quaranta

Defender

24

Marco Varnier

Defender

7

Edgaras Dubickas

Attacker

17

Gregorio Morachioli

Attacker

13

Matteo Baldi

Defender

55

Giuseppe Leone

Midfielder

3

Yuri Rocchetti

Defender

74'

14

Marco Meli

Midfielder

74'

18

Lorenzo Sgarbi

Attacker

81'

37

Fabio Maistro

Midfielder

89'

80

Alessandro Louati

Midfielder

90'

37

Zan Majer

Midfielder

8

Mattia Valoti

Midfielder

99

Marco Nasti

Attacker

30

Jakob Tannander

Goalkeeper

12

Giacomo Drago

Goalkeeper

25

Daniele Triacca

Defender

42

Lorenzo Moretti

Defender

46'

20

Franco Vázquez

Midfielder

64'

90

Federico Bonazzoli

Attacker

69'

14

Francesco Gelli

Midfielder

83'

Inter have reportedly locked down Francesco Pio Esposito for the future by getting the striker, on loan at Spezia, to sign a new contract to 2030.

The 19-year-old came up through the Nerazzurri youth academy and was sent to Spezia on a two-year loan spell in the summer of 2023.

It has been a remarkable campaign for him, scoring 14 goals in just 27 Serie B appearances, plus one assist.

He is also flourishing with the Italy Under-21 side, contributing seven goals and three assists in 11 caps at this level.

Esposito attracted interest with fine form

Inter have taken note, as well as the interest from Manchester United, Leicester City and more.

According to reports from Matteo Moretto, Esposito has now signed a new contract with Inter to June 2030 that will raise his salary to just over €1m per season.

It remains to be seen whether he will be part of the Inter squad for the 2025-26 campaign or go on loan to a Serie A club to gain more experience.

This is a successful football family, because brother Sebastiano plays for Empoli and another sibling Salvatore is his teammate at Spezia.

Tommaso Baldanzi, Niccolo Pisilli and Fabio Miretti are among the Italy U21 stars called up for the upcoming international friendlies against the Netherlands and Demark U21 sides during the March international break. 

The Italy national team and U21 squads for the upcoming international break were officially confirmed on Friday. 

• Read more: Spalletti confirms 23-man Italy squad for Germany 

The Azzurrini will play against Netherlands U21s at the Pier Luigi Penzo stadium in Venezia on March 21, and then against Denmark in Cittadella on March 24. 

There is a particularly experienced set of midfielder called up to represent the U21s, including Pisilli and Miretti, who have both already been capped at senior level, plus Bologna’s Fabbian, Fiorentina’s Cher Ndour, Roma’s Tommaso Baldanzi and Udinese’s Simone Pafundi. 

There is a return for Burnley forward Luca Koleosho, who joins fellow EFL Championship representative Wilfried Gnonto up front. Empoli striker Sebastiano Esposito is also back in the U21 squad alongside his brother Francesco Pio of Spezia. 

Confirmed Italy U21 squad for Netherlands and Denmark 

Goalkeepers: Desplanches (Palermo), Sassi (Modena), Zacchi (Latina). 

Defenders: Angori (Pisa), Bertola (Spezia), Coppola (Verona), Ghilardi (Verona), Palestra (Atalanta), Pirola (Olympiacos), Turicchia (Juventus Next Gen), Zanotti (Lugano). 

Midfielders: Baldanzi (Roma), Bianco (Monza/Fiorentina), Doumbia (Venezia), Fabbian (Bologna), Miretti (Genoa/Juventus), Ndour (Fiorentina), Pafundi (Udinese), Pisilli (Roma), Prati (Cagliari), Volpato (Sassuolo). 

Forwards: Ambrosino (Frosinone), F.P. Esposito (Spezia), S.Esposito (Empoli), Gnonto (Leeds), Koleosho (Burnley). 

#Under21

I 2⃣6⃣ #Azzurrini convocati da Carmine #Nunziata per le sfide contro Paesi Bassi e Danimarca #VivoAzzurro pic.twitter.com/yM8Y8IvAoQ

— Nazionale Italiana (@Azzurri) March 14, 2025

Alberto Bollini has confirmed his squad of 20 Italy U19 players to take on Latvia, Spain and France in the Elite Round of qualification for the 2025 edition of the U19 European Championships. 

The U19 European Championships and its qualification process works differently to how it does at senior level. The competition is an annual affair, but only features eight teams in the final tournament. 

At the beginning of qualification, the 52 participating teams are divided into 13 groups of four. They then play each team in their group once, and the top two teams from each group, plus the best two third-placed teams qualify for the Elite Phase. 

The 28 teams in the Elite phase are divided into seven groups of four. They then play each other once, and the seven group winners go on to qualify for the final tournament, joining the host nation. 

Italy have already qualified for the Elite Phase, but are now in arguably the toughest group of the draw, alongside reigning champions Spain, last year’s runners up, France, as well as Latvia. Italy are the second-most recent champions, having won in 2023. 

Below is the squad of 20 players called up to represent Italy in the Elite Phase of U19 European Championship qualification. They will play at home against Latvia on March 19, Spain at home on March 22 and France away on March 25.

Official: Italy U19 squad for Latvia, Spain and France 

Goalkeepers: Diego Mascardi (Spezia), Alessandro Nunziante (Benevento). 

Defenders: Cristian Cama (Roma), Matteo Cocchi (Inter), Niccolo Fortini (Juve Stabia), Felipe Jack (Como), Matteo Plaia (Perugia), Filippo Reale (Roma). 

Midfielders: Federico Coletta (Roma), Alessandro Di Nunzio (Roma), Leonardo Mendicino (Cesena), Fabio Rispoli (Virtus Verona), Tomasso Rubino (Fiorentina), Lorenzo Venutrino (Genoa), Mattia Zanchetta (Inter). 

Forwards: Richi Agbonifo (Verona), Federico Cassa (Atalanta), Giacomo De Pieri (Inter), Mattia Mosconi (Inter), Matteo Spinacce (Inter). 

Richard Hall analyses the latest big stories in Serie B, including under-pressure Palermo and the rise of Francesco Pio Esposito.

Is something happening in Palermo?

If you take a moment to peruse the Serie B, other than dreams of yesteryear or a visit to the Sicilian capital, there is no reason to look at Palermo. If you watched the 2-2 draw with Mantova this weekend, you might be inclined to lean with some of the discontent shown within the overall raucous Stadio Renzo Barbera. A man was sent off, and some comical defending was only eased by a superlative strike from Valerio Verre and the first goal for his new campaign from Joel Pohjanpaolo.

The Rosanero hired Alessio Dionisi as head coach in June 2024, but the ex-Sassuolo boss hasn’t won a game from the last four, collecting just two points and leaving the team in ninth place, two points below a playoff spot.

The club signed some big names in the January window, so they expect a quick U-turn starting with the upcoming away game at Cosenza, where a defeat could cost Dionisi the job.

Palermo have taken on Finnish Capocannoniere, Pohjanpaolo, who netted 22 times for Venezia last campaign. He is now off the mark, and what is more, they have cemented up their backline. Emil Audero has joined on loan in goal from Como1907, a very clever move that will pay dividends and they have brought in Giangiacomo Magnani from Hellas Verona to stabilise the back line. Will it be enough?

Francesco Pio Esposito

One of three brothers from Castellammare di Stabia near Naples, Francesco, is making a name for himself in Spezia. The younger brother of Salvatore (also at Spezia) and Sebastiano (on loan at Empoli), he has a strong footballing family. Sebastiano and Francesco are both products of the Inter Primavera, and when the Nerazzurri assess their options next season regarding who to bring back, it may be young Francesco who gets the nod. He has been in superb form this season, and according to more than one Italian news outlet, he is being watched by Torino and Napoli.

The 19-year-old has 13 goals to his name already this campaign, and with Spezia sitting in third place in the table, in the best run of form and with the least losses in the division, he may get to Serie A with the ‘Aquile’ rather than waiting for a bid. The team from Liguria are surely already getting used to the fact that they will have to let him return to Milan, but his impact has been noted.

Ironically, this will be another player Inter lets slip through their fingers, but they should not. At 6ft 2”, he is quick and remarkably good in the air and with the ball at his feet. However, it is his rhythmic ability to finish in the box with one or two touches with such composure that makes him a different kind of striker than the Nerazzurri or the Azzurri have already. Expect big things from this very mature young man.

Welcome Paolo Bianco

Poor Frosinone, it was always going to happen. Another day, another problem and now, another coach. “Frosinone Calcio announces that it has entrusted Paolo Bianco with the role of coach responsible for the First Team. The coach, a native of Foggia, has signed an agreement that will bind him to the Giallazzurro Club until June 30, 2025.” These were the words on the Lega B website from Frosinone as the club tried to save their terrible season.

At present, they sit in 19^th place in the table with 23 points. This is not an impossible situation to get out of but they show no signs of doing so. Yes, the defeat to Bari away in the San Nicola (2-1) had no shame in it but the loss to Sud Tirol (0-3 at home) certainly did. They are on a dangerous slide and changing the coach was the last resort.

Called ‘the last hope for salvation’ by the Italian press, Frosinone restarted with Paolo Bianco, the last desperate move of the club to avoid the abyss of C. It will be the former Modena coach and former collaborator of De Zerbi at Sassuolo and Shakhtar Donetsk who has been tasked with attempting the miracle in the land of Ciociaria. In essence, he will have to try to bring the team out of the nightmare of relegation. A fearful task, but not impossible either. It is worth watching to see if he can change the clubs’ fortunes.

@RichHall80

Empoli striker Sebastiano Esposito was certainly glad to have scored his first Serie A brace against Verona, but last Sunday marked a day to remember for his entire family, as his two brothers also scored competitive goals with Serie B side La Spezia.

The Esposito family became famous for churning out footballers in recent years, and their name was strictly connected with Inter, with all three siblings joining the Nerazzurri’s youth sides in 2014.

Who are the Esposito brothers and where they play

Sebastiano was deemed the most promising of the lot, as he started earning calls for the senior team in 2019 when then-coach Luciano Spalletti brought him on in a Europa League fixture against Eintracht Frankfurt to give the striker his debut at the age of 16.

He went on to make seven Serie A appearances under Antonio Conte in the following season, also scoring his first goal, before being loaned out to SPAL and starting a series of moves that would eventually lead him at Empoli.

Salvatore Esposito, who’s two years older than Sebastiano, would also debut in the Italian top tier with La Spezia in 2023, in a season which ended with his side’s relegation to Serie B.

His brother Francesco Pio Esposito, the youngest of the group, is also on loan at the Ligurian outfit from Inter, who are closely monitoring the 19-year-old youngster, who’s establishing himself as one of the most prolific strikers in Serie B, with eight goals from 14 games this season.

Three brothers score on same day for Empoli and La Spezia

Sunday 8 December was a day the Esposito family won’t forget easily.

Empoli striker Sebastiano found his first-ever brace in Serie A, as he scored twice in the space of three minutes to pave the way for his side’s 4-1 win over Verona.

A few minutes later, about 250km away from the Stadio Bentegodi, Francesco Pio would find his 14th goal of the season to open the scoring for La Spezia against Cittadella.

Midfielder Salvatore could not miss out on one of the most memorable days for his family and also bagged twice for the Bianconeri, contributing to their eventual 5-0 win.

Here are all the winners from the Gran Galà del Calcio 2024, the Italian version of the PFA Awards, as Scudetto holders Inter inevitably dominated the ceremony with Riccardo Calafiori and Joshua Zirkzee too.

The event was held in Milan this evening and all the victors are chosen by members of the Italian Players’ Association (AIC).

Inter won the Serie A title at a canter last season, so naturally also dominated the Calcio awards this evening, including Simone Inzaghi as Coach of the Year and Inter as Club of the Year.

The Calcio Top XI of the Year included two players who have since left Serie A, namely Arsenal defender Calafiori and Manchester United striker Zirkzee, who both played for Bologna last season.

As expected, Lautaro Martinez was named Player of the Year after his Capocannoniere title with 24 goals.

Marcus Thuram also received the award for Goal of the Year after his strike in September 2023 during Inter’s 5-1 Derby della Madonnina victory over Milan, though this was the only award voted for by the public.

Marking 30 years since Milan crushed Barcelona 4-0 in the Champions League Final, a special Legend award went to Billy Costacurta, Demetrio Albertini, Roberto Donadoni and Mauro Tassotti.

Gran Galà del Calcio 2024 Winners

Player of the Year

Lautaro Martinez (Inter)

Top XI of the Year

Sommer (Inter); Bellanova (Torino/Atalanta), Bastoni (Inter), Calafiori (Bologna/Arsenal), Dimarco (Inter); Barella (Inter), Calhanoglu (Inter), Koopmeiners (Atalanta/Juventus); Zirkzee (Bologna/Manchester United), Lautaro Martinez (Inter), M Thuram (Inter)

Coach of the Year

Simone Inzaghi (Inter)

Club of the Year

Inter

Referee of the Year

Daniele Orsato

Serie B Young Player of the Year

Francesco Pio Esposito (Spezia)

Our Richy

Congratulations to Calafiori for being announced in the 2023/24 Serie A Team of the Year at tonight’s Gran Galà del Calcio ceremony pic.twitter.com/JNdUB5BQp1

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) December 2, 2024

Zirk is in the @SerieA Team of the Season #MUFC pic.twitter.com/i1irUUbR4E

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) December 2, 2024

After Carmine Nunziata announced his Italy U21 squad on Friday evening, here are five young Azzurrini players to watch over the upcoming international break. 

Nicolo Savona has been included in the Italy U21 squad after a promising start to life in the senior Juventus squad under Thiago Motta this season. 

The Next Gen graduate could be set for even more minutes following the long-term injury to Gleison Bremer, and Motta even hinted that he could be tried at centre-back if required. 

There are a host of exciting midfielder included in the Azzurrini squad, including PSG-owned Cher Ndour and Juve loanee Fabio Miretti. Keep an eye on Cesare Casadei, though, who is making decent impressions on Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca, and is pushing for more minutes with the Premier League outfit. 

Tommaso Baldanzi is also one to watch after an encouraging set of recent performances in the trequartista role for Roma. He has arguably outperformed €30m summer signing Matias Soule so far this campaign. 

Bologna’s Giovanni Fabbian is one who could also progress to the senior side in years to come. 

In the Italy U21 attack, Wilfried Gnonto is one of the most established players available, and has also already earned caps at senior level under Roberto Mancini. 

Luca Koleosho is also one to watch, though, as he is currently a regular starter at the top of the Championship with Burnley, and also put in an impressive set of performances in the Premier League before his injury in the second half of last season. 

Italy U21 squad for upcoming internationals 

Goalkeepers: Desplanches (Palermo), Jacoboo Sassi (Modena), Gioele Zacchi (Latina Calcio). 

Defenders: Savona (Juventus), Kayode (Fiorentina), Pirola (Olympiacos), Bertola (Spezia), Bonfanti (Pisa), Viti (Empoli), Ghilardi (Verona), Turicchia (Catanzaro), Palestra (Atalanta), Zanotti (Lugano). 

Midfielders: Bove (Roma), Casadei (Chelsea), Ndour (Besiktas), Miretti (Genoa), Fabbian (Bologna), Prati (Cagliari), Baldanzi (Roma), Bianco (Monza), Fazzini (Empoli). 

Forwards: F.P. Esposito (Spezia), Ambrosino (Frosinone), Gnonto (Leeds), Koleosho (Burnley). 

#Under21

I 26 #Azzurrini convocati da Carmine #Nunziata per la sfida contro l’Irlanda #VivoAzzurro pic.twitter.com/gq1lotrBS4

— Nazionale Italiana (@Azzurri) October 4, 2024

The CIES Football Observatory has ranked the top 100 teenagers in football for their relative experience level: Juventus talent Kenan Yildiz is placed 15th, the best among Serie A players.

Juventus talent Yildiz is the ‘most experienced’ Serie A teenager in Serie A, a recent report from CIES Football Observatory highlights.

CIES has ranked the top 100 U20 players worldwide for their relative experience level, and it’s probably unsurprising to see Barcelona and Spain’s talent Lamine Yamal at the top.

“Lamine Yamal tops the list with 2.75 times more experience than the average measured for players of the same age and position,” said CIES.

“The Spaniard outranks his Barcelona teammate Pau Cubarsí (x2.42) and Real Madrid’s Endrick Felipe (x2.41).”

Yamal has already made 55 senior appearances with Barcelona, including 42 in La Liga and 10 in the Champions League. He also won the Euros with the Spanish national team last summer, scoring one goal and providing four assists.

Only five Serie A players feature in the latest CIES ranking, but three of them, Vasilije Adžić (Juventus), Silvano Vos (Milan), and Damian Pizarro (Udinese), have yet to make their debuts, having joined their new clubs this summer. This means that they’ve accumulated the current experience level at their previous clubs.

Adzic was injured in Juventus’s opening Serie A games, but he is expected to make his Bianconeri debut this coming weekend.

His Juventus teammate Yildiz (x2.04) is placed 15th and is the first Serie A player in the CIES ranking. He is followed by Pizarro (45th) and Adzic (47th), Francesco Pio Esposito (Spezia, Serie B, 66th), Vos (89th) and Santiago Castro (Bologna, 90th).

Francesco Pio Esposito scored four goals as Italy crushed San Marino 7-0 in a European Under-21 Championship qualifier, but Tommaso Baldanzi sustained an injury.

It was a rough start to the match, as Empoli midfielder Jacopo Fazzini and Roma talent Baldanzi both limped off before half-time.

Edoardo Bove celebrated his deadline day move to Fiorentina with the opening goal, blasting into the roof of the net from distance.

Giacomo Matteoni got the final touch to deflect in the second, then Esposito ran wild after the break with four individual goals.

Antonio Raimondo also got in on the act from Matteo Ruggeri’s assist and Bove rattled the crossbar.

Esposito turned 19 in June and is one of three brothers who play professional football. He is a product of the Inter youth academy, currently on loan at Spezia in Serie B.

The Azzurrini are top of their group now on 15 points, having won four and drawn three, but are level with Norway.

The Republic of Ireland are also a threat, as they have a game in hand and 13 points.

Norway-Italy is on September 10 and Italy-Republic of Ireland on October 15.

Italy 7-0 San Marino

Bove 35, Matteoni og 38, P Esposito 58, 76, 78, 91, Raimondo 81

Italy U21: Desplanches (Zacchi 79); Savona, Coppola, Ghilardi, Ruggeri; Bove (Pisilli 79), Bianco, Fazzini (Ndour 14); Baldanzi (Raimondo 26); P Esposito, Gnonto (Ambrosino 46)

The preliminary round of the Coppa Italia has been completed, with Cesena, Avellino, Mantova and Carrarese progressing to the first round proper.

The 2024-25 season has already begun in Italy with this tournament and the Serie C sides faced off for a place in the main competition.

Carrarese beat Catania 2-1 and go on to face Cagliari, while Mantova earned a 2-1 victory away to Torres.

Cesena swept Padova aside 3-1 and Avellino beat Juve Stabia by the same result.

The first round kicks off on Friday August 9 and continues until Monday August 12.

These are all one-off matches, to be decided on the night after 90 minutes or a penalty shoot-out.

Coppa Italia First Round fixtures

Friday Aug 9

Sassuolo-Cittadella

Udinese-Avellino

Genoa-Reggiana

Monza-Sud Tirol

Saturday Aug 10

Cremonese-Bari

Verona-Cesena

Empoli-Catania

Napoli-Modena

Sunday Aug 11

Brescia-Venezia

Parma-Palermo

Sampdoria-Como

Torino-Cosenza

Monday Aug 12

Frosinone-Pisa

Lecce-Mantova

Salernitana-Spezia

Cagliari-Carrarese

Empoli have completed two transfers today, as they signed Lorenzo Colombo on loan with option to buy from Milan and brought back Szymon Zurkowski from Spezia.

The Tuscans secured their Serie A status with a goal in the final minutes of the season and now intend to lock down their position earlier with reinforcements.

Zurkowski is no stranger to the club, as he was already there on loan from Fiorentina from January 2020 to the summer of 2022, then returned on loan from Spezia in January 2024.

Now he is back at the Stadio Castellani again, on loan for one season with an option to buy in June 2025.

The Poland international midfielder turns 27 in September and has seven senior caps.

Colombo makes Empoli move too

Meanwhile, Empoli have also officially signed centre-forward Colombo from Milan, on loan with an option to buy at the end of the season.

The 22-year-old is a product of the Rossoneri youth academy who had a series of loan experiences at Cremonese, SPAL, Lecce and Monza.

Last term, he scored four goals and provided one assist in 25 Serie A appearances for Monza.

Empoli are ready to complete two different deals with Milan, bringing in Devis Vasquez after a chaotic summer and striker Lorenzo Colombo.

The Tuscans secured their Serie A safety in the final minutes of last season, a stoppage-time goal allowing them to leapfrog Frosinone in the table.

Now they want to solidify the squad and are looking to the Rossoneri for reinforcements, according to Sky Sport Italia transfer expert Gianluca Di Marzio.

Colombo and Vasquez ready for Empoli

Vasquez had loan experiences at Sheffield Wednesday and Ascoli last season, he had been torn between Spezia and Torino, but is instead now heading towards Empoli.

It is going to be a loan move with option to buy at the end of the season.

Meanwhile, Colombo is a centre-forward who wore the Monza jersey last term, where he scored four goals in 25 Serie A appearances.

It was just the latest in a series of loans after Cremonese, SPAL and Lecce.

His next destination will be Empoli, again on loan with an option to buy for the 22-year-old Milan youth academy product.

The fixture list for the 2024-25 Serie B season has been drawn up, as the tournament runs from August 16 to May 9, followed by promotion and relegation play-offs.

The ceremony was held this evening and the calendar set for the upcoming campaign.

The opening fixture will be on Friday August 16, but most games on Saturday August 17.

There will be midweek rounds on August 27, October 29, December 26 and May 1.

The breaks will be the weekend of September 8, October 13, November 17 and March 23.

The final round of the regular season is set for Friday May 9.

The top two teams are promoted to Serie A, plus a third to be decided via the play-offs.

Serie B Week 1

Bari-Juve Stabia

Brescia-Palermo

Catanzaro-Sassuolo

Cesena-Carrarese

Cosenza-Cremonese

Frosinone-Sampdoria

Pisa-Spezia

Reggiana-Mantova

Salernitana-Cittadella

Sud Tirol-Modena

Bologna have reportedly shaken hands with Spezia for Emil Holm, signing the right-back after Atalanta opted not to make his move permanent.

The 24-year-old spent this season in Bergamo on loan at a cost of €2.5m, making 32 appearances between Serie A, the Europa League and Coppa Italia.

He contributed one goal and four assists, but Atalanta decided against activating the option to buy for another €8.3m.

Instead, Spezia have been in negotiations with Bologna to sell them Holm and multiple reports this evening claim an agreement has been reached.

Holm heading to Bologna

There is still a little uncertainty over the cost of the operation, as while Sportitalia maintain it is €12m, transfer pundit Fabrizio Romano and Calciomercato.com point towards €7m.

It is possible that bonuses and add-ons will make up some of that difference.

The 24-year-old came to Italy at a cost of just €0.3m from Danish club Sonderjyske in the summer of 2021.

Holm plays as a right-back or a more advanced right-sided winger and had also been linked with Genoa, Juventus and Lazio, but Bologna were the favourites from the start.

Bologna could sign Emil Holm from Spezia after Atalanta decided against buying him outright, while Charalampos Lykogiannis extends his contract.

The Sweden international spent this season with Atalanta, where he scored one goal and provided four assists in 32 competitive games.

He helped them to win the Europa League trophy, reach the Coppa Italia Final and secure Champions League qualification with fourth place in Serie A.

However, La Dea decided not to activate their option to make the move permanent for €8.3m, having already spent €2.5m for the one-season loan.

Bologna asking after Holm

Now Sportitalia claim that Bologna are in negotiations with Spezia to secure Holm on a permanent transfer for around €12m.

Meanwhile, Lykogiannis has officially activated the option to extend his contract with Bologna to June 2025.

He made 25 appearances for the Rossoblu this term, scoring two goals with one assist.

The versatile defender can play in the centre or on the left and joined as a free agent from Cagliari in the summer of 2022.