The national team will have its first training session at Coverciano ahead of the World Cup playoffs against Northern Ireland, scheduled for Thursday at 8:45 p.m. in Bergamo.
Only 14 Azzurri players took to the field , including three goalkeepers (Donnarumma, Meret, and Caprile ), defenders Cambiaso, Palestra , Gatti, Spinazzola, and Buongiorno, midfielders Frattesi and Locatelli, and forwards Retegui, Raspadori, Cambiaghi, and Politano. Politano, however, with a bandage on his left calf, did not participate in the 5-on-5 training match.
The rest of the group, including those injured and those involved yesterday, worked in the gym or, as in Bastoni's case, on the pitch with a bit of running.
Demonstrating just how much Thursday's event is and what's at stake (if they win, the Azzurri would face the winner of Wales vs. Bosnia on March 31), several fans gathered in front of the Coverciano gates, manned as usual by a massive security force (they even displayed a banner with the message "We are ready for death, Italy called"), and met delegation leader Buffon, hoping to get into the federal training center to follow the Azzurri's training up close.
The request was rejected: the session would be limited to the media only, and from tomorrow onwards it would be strictly behind closed doors to maintain maximum concentration.
(Unioneonline)
