leazzurre

[leazzurre]

[leazzurre]

Sara Gana hands the captains armband to Alia Guagni after she’s forced to exit the game due to injury

[leazzurre]

[leazzurre]

Sara Gama • Italy vs Georgia • Photo by Francesco Pecoraro

[leazzurre]

Elena Linari • Italy vs Georgia • Photo by Matteo Ciambelli

[leazzurre]

As was reported earlier, Milena Bertolini has renewed her contract with the FIGC and will remain the head of the Azzurre until 2021. FIFA also interviewed five of the Azzurre players and asked them why they thought Milena should win the Coach of The Year award. 

All of this is completely merited, as Milena deserves all of this recognition for all the wonderful work she’s done with Italy so far. Here’s to hoping she’ll have a great Euros, and that she’ll take us to the 2023 World Cup as well.

[leazzurre]

The 23 players Milena Bertolini has called up for the Euro 2021 qualifiers against Israel and Georgia. I Convocati: Portieri: Laura Giuliani, Francesca Durante, Rachele Baldi 

Difensori: Elisa Bartoli, Laura Fusetti, Sara Gama, Alia Guagni, Martina Lenzini, Elena Linari, Linda Cimini Tucceri Centrocampiste: Valentina Bergamaschi, Barbara Bonansea, Agnese Bonfantini, Arianna Caruso, Valentina Cernoia, Aurora Galli, Manuela Giugliano, Martina Rosucci, Annamaria Serturini Attacanti: Cristiana Girelli, Valentina Giacinti, Daniela Sabatino, Stefania Tarenzi The list of 23 players includes two, bright and shiny new faces, most notably Agnese Bonfantini, a skilled, fast and tall forward with a penchant for embarrassing people, and who is quite possibly, the brightest jewel in Roma’s youth crown. Agnese was also called to Coverciano as one of the 29 finalists for the Women’s World Cup back in May, but ultimately didn’t make the cut as Bertolini decided not to take her to France. The other notable name on this list is Arianna Caruso, the 19 year old Juventus midfielder who is not only one of their brightest youth prospects, but Italy’s as well.

Other things worth noting: Rosalia Pipitone (the current goalkeeper for Roma) has decided to retire from the national team after realizing her dream of playing the World Cup in France, and will no longer be playing for the national side in any capacity.

And after picking up a knock in Juve’s friendly against PSG, Barbara Bonansea will have to undergo surgery for a fracture on her left foot, so it remains yet to be seen if she’ll actually recover in time to play any of the qualifiers.

This aside ―

Forza ragazze! Crediamo in voi e portaci agli Europei!

[leazzurre]

[leazzurre]

Italy WNT Captain Sara Gama’s speech to the Italian President:   “We didn’t know that the Italian men and women were ready to embrace us: ours has become the World Cup for everyone, this is the national team for all of our country. We want to represent the Italians, they discovered us and they fell in love with us, they identified themselves (in us). Maybe we won everything.

I wear the number three on my jersey. I’d like to read you number three of our beautiful constitution even if you know it:  'All citizens have equal social dignity and are equal before the law, without distinction as to sex, race, language, religion, political opinions, or personal or social condition. It is the duty of the Republic to remove those obstacles of an economic and social nature that, by in fact limiting the freedom and equality of citizens, impede the full development of the human person and the effective participation of all workers in the political, economic and social organisation of the country.’ Thank you President” [original video in italian]

[leazzurre]

The Azzurre will meet the President of the Italian Republic on Thursday The Azzurre have been invited to meet the President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella, at the Palazzo del Quirinale in Rome on Thursday. They have been invited there in order to honor them for their fantastic and inspiring play during the Women’s World Cup. Accompanying them there will be Gabriele Gravine, the FIGC president, and as well as Giovanni Malagò, the president of CONI (the Italian National Olympic Committee). And like so many others, Malagò supports granting these women the status of professionals. And he wants to not only see professionalization of women in football, but for other sports as well. Professionalization would not only greatly benefit not only the women who play this sport, but would also help other athletes who have relegated to the status of amateurs in the country, most notably athletes like Olympic gold medalist Federica Pellegrini. There is absolutely no doubt that the subject of professionalization for women’s athletes will be brought up again on Thursday. This will also be the second time that the Azzurre will meet Mattarella, as they had previously met him in October of last year. Elsewhere, the Fratelli d'Italia have proposed awarding the Il Sigillo Trecentesco to Sara Gama. A Trieste native herself, Sara will not only earn the award for her fantastic performances on the pitch, but for the several battles she’s had to fight off of it, most notably while being up against both misogyny, and racism as well. Once again, it is absolutely fantastic to see all of the support these ladies have received. They most certainly deserve it, and here’s to hoping this will the beginning of many good moments and plaudits for them to come.

[leazzurre]

Grazie a loro, grazie quelli che sono venuti nelle altre partite quelle che c'erano fuori, dallo stadio, a casa, a chiunque ci ha seugito. Vi ringrazio e veramente coninuate a seguirci e continuate tifare per noi - (x)

[leazzurre]

Grazie, ragazze. Avete fatto un grande mondiale e ci avete fatto sognare. Non è la fine, è solo l'inizio.

[leazzurre]

Risulato finale 2 - 0 Olanda

Nonetheless, our girls had a great tournament and we should be proud of them 👏🏽

[leazzurre]

Starting XI vs The Netherlands: Attaccante: Bonansea, Giacinti, Bergamaschi Centrocampiste: Cernoia, Giugliano, Galli Difensore: Bartoli, Linari, Gama, Guagni Portiere: Giuliani Dai ragazze! Facciamo bene e vincere la partita!

[leazzurre]

Confirmation: Italy will play The Netherlands in the quarterfinals

Italy will play The Netherlands in Valenciennes on 29 June.

See you then!

[leazzurre]

[leazzurre]