Roma midfielder Emanuele Lulli has been named in Italy Under-21 coach Carlo Baldini's squad for two friendlies against France and Belgium. The call-up comes during the international break, which has also brought recognition for Daniele Ghilardi and Niccolò Pisilli, who have been called up to the senior Italy squad by head coach Roberto Mancini.
The Under-21 fixtures are high-profile international tests against peers from France and Belgium, and will help the young side continue its development after qualifying for the European Under-21 Championship finals, to be held in 2027 in Albania and Serbia. Lulli's inclusion is a further sign of the progress of the club's young players, with Lulli representing Roma in the Azzurrini squad.
Baldini's provisional squad lists the following players. Goalkeepers: Giovanni Daffara (Parma), Diego Mascardi (Torino), Lorenzo Palmisani (Frosinone), Massimo Pessina (Bologna). Defenders: Davide Bartesaghi (Milan), Gabriele Calvani (Frosinone), Fabio Chiarodia (Borussia M'Gladbach), Pietro Comuzzo (Torino), Eddy Kouadio (Monza), Emanuele Lulli (Roma), Filippo Mane (Borussia Dortmund), Brando Moruzzi (Avellino). Midfielders: Lorenzo Amatucci (Deportivo La Coruna), Tommaso Berti (Cremonese), Matteo Cichella (Frosinone), Matteo Dagasso (Venezia), Giacomo Faticanti (Avellino), Luca Lipani (Sassuolo), Cher Ndour (Fiorentina). Forwards: Alessio Cacciamani (Torino), Francesco Camarda (Milan), Luigi Cherubini (Benevento), Jeff Ekhator (Juventus), Seydou Fini (Frosinone), Samuele Inacio (Borussia Dortmund), Dominic Vavassori (Palermo).
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Roma midfielder Emanuele Lulli has been named in Italy Under-21 coach Carlo Baldini's squad for two friendlies against France and Belgium during the international break. Roma News describes him as a midfielder, while Forza Roma calls him a defender, and the published squad lists him among the defenders. Forza Roma notes that he is the only Roma player in the Under-21 group. The fixtures come after Italy qualified for the 2027 European Under-21 Championship, to be held in Albania and Serbia.
The break also brings senior recognition for Roma's Daniele Ghilardi and Niccolò Pisilli, both called up by Roberto Mancini. Forza Roma adds that veteran Gianluca Mancini is included, and says Pisilli is back in the squad after being key for Baldini's side. Forza Roma also reports that Nicolò Zaniolo, now at Udinese, returns to the senior set-up. The outlets differ on the nature of the matches: Forza Roma describes the senior games against France and Belgium as Nations League fixtures, while Roma News and Forza Roma's Under-21 coverage call the Baldini matches friendlies.
Forza Roma says three players are making their first Under-21 appearance: Massimo Pessina, Eddy Kouadio and Samuele Inacio, all of whom came through the senior set-up last October. Three players return in attack, Alessio Cacciamani, who has been absent since March 2026, Jeff Ekhator and Dominic Vavassori, while Filippo Mane and Lorenzo Amatucci return in defence and midfield. Forza Roma also lists four uncapped youngsters receiving their first senior call-up: Riccardo Cassano, Simone Lontani, Alphadjo Cisse and Mattia Liberali.
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Testo Originale / Source Text
“La sosta per le Nazionali porta importanti conferme in casa Roma sul fronte dei giovani talenti premiati dalle Sezioni Azzurre. Se Daniele Ghilardi e Niccolò Pisilli hanno ricevuto la chiamata del commissario tecnico Roberto Mancini con la Nazionale maggiore, a rappresentare il club giallorosso con…”
Read the full article in Italian at Roma News.