Much in the same fashion as Juventus’ starting lineup last weekend against Sassuolo, there won’t be much of a Bianconeri flavor when the Italian national team meets for their first meet-up at Coverciano during the upcoming international break.
One Italian in the starting lineup last weekend at the Mapei. And now just one Juventus player called into Roberto Mancini’s first Italy squad since coming back to coach the Azzurri this summer.
It just so happens to be the same player, goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario,
that has that distinction. Thanks to a combination of injuries and Mancini wanting to shake things up in a big way as he begins his second spell in charge, it means Juventus’ only player named to the original squad that includes 33 other names — and an very noticeable number of players who don’t currently call Serie A home.
Mancini, without a doubt, is casting quite a wide net to try and find some younger options after everything that has happened since the last time he was manager and now. And that involves calling in some names that were completely off the radar just a few months ago.
With Juventus’ captain Manuel Locatelli injured, that takes one potential selection out of the equation. Same goes for Andrea Cambiaso, who could make his return to the matchday squad this weekend against Atalanta. Federico Gatti, a player who just started his first game of the season against NEC in the Europa League on Thursday night, probably wasn’t even in consideration because of a lack of playing time.
That leaves Vicario, who has previously served as Gianluigi Donnarumma’s backup for a good portion of the last few years no matter who the Italy manager actually is.
And it also means that clubs like Bologna and Cagliari have more players called into the squad than Juventus. It means Juventus have as many Italians in this squad as Paris FC, Nurnberg and Borussia Dortmund. Hell, even newly-promoted Monza has as many players in this 34-man squad as Juventus does.
Just feels a little odd is all.
During this new extended international break that lasts four games, Mancini and Italy will play four of their six UEFA Nations League group stage games. They are against Belgium (Sept. 25), Turkiye (Sept. 28), France (Oct. 2) and then a rematch with Turkiye (Oct. 5).
