Under-21 Group A: Slovakia vs Italy facts

Slovakia will look to bounce back from their late opening defeat as they take on five-time winners Italy at the Anton Malatinský Stadium in Trnava in the second round of Group A games at the UEFA European Under-21 Championship.

The hosts battled back from 0-2 down against Spain in Bratislava on Matchday 1, goals from Samuel Kopásek and Tomáš Suslov, a penalty, levelling the match only for Spain to snatch victory with a 90th-minute winner.

Italy were 1-0 winners against Romania in Trnava on Matchday 1, Tommaso Baldanzi scoring the only goal after 26 minutes although the Azzurrini also needed Sebastiano Desplanches' penalty save on the stroke of half-time.

Previous European U21 Championship meetings

Matches 3
Slovakia wins 0
Italy wins 1
Draws 2
Slovakia goals 3
Italy goals 5

Slovakia were victorious in their last fixture against Italy, a goal in each half from Lukáš Haraslín and another from Samuel Mráz giving them a 3-0 friendly win in Dunajska Streda on 6 September 2018.

This is the teams' first competitive meeting since the qualifying play-offs for the 2015 European U21 Championship. Andrea Belotti gave Italy the lead in the first leg in Zlaté Moravce and, though Adam Zreľák's equaliser earned Slovakia a home draw, early goals in Reggio Emilia from Federico Bernardeschi and Belotti, a penalty, put Italy in charge, Samuele Longo sealing the win in the 90th minute after Stanislav Lobotka had halved the Slovakia deficit.

Slovakia had earned a 1-1 draw against Italy on Matchday 2 of the 2000 finals, Peter Babnič cancelling out Roberto Baronio's early effort at the Štadión Pasienky in Bratislava.

Giuseppe Ambrosino got the only goal as Italy beat Slovakia 1-0 in the 2022 UEFA European Under-19 Championship group stage. Sebastiano Desplanches, Daniele Ghilardi, Giovanni Fabbian and substitute Cristian Volpato also featured for Italy with Nicolas Šikula, Marek Ujlaky, Dominik Hollý, Timotej Jambor and replacements Samuel Kopásek, Sebastian Kóša and Artur Gajdoš in the Slovakia side.

Form guide

Slovakia

This is Slovakia's third appearance in the finals – they are the first country to host the tournament twice since a group stage was introduced in 2000.

Fourth as hosts on debut in 2000 – losing 1-0 to Spain in the third-place play-off – Slovakia had to wait until 2017 for the second appearance, failing to progress from Group A despite ending as section runners-up behind England having won two of their three games.

Slovakia lost 5-3 on aggregate to Ukraine in the 2023 play-offs (3-2 h, 0-3 a) having finished second to Spain in their qualifying section.

Jaroslav Kentoš has been in charge of Slovakia since 2019.

Italy

The joint most successful side in European U21 Championship history with five titles, a record they share with Spain, Italy are in the final tournament for the 15th time. They have qualified for all but one of the 14 editions since 2000, missing out only in 2011.

The Azzurrini are the only side to win three successive titles, between 1992 and 1996, and lifted the trophy five times in seven editions between 1992 and 2004 – although they have reached only one final since, losing to Spain in 2013.

In 2023 a team coached by Paolo Nicolato finished third in Group D behind France and Switzerland, beating the Swiss 3-2 but losing to both France (1-2) and Norway (0-1).

With Carmine Nunziata having succeeded Nicolato as coach, the Azzurrini conceded only four goals in finishing top of Group A unbeaten (W6 D4) to book their place at these finals.

Pio Esposito was Italy's top scorer in qualifying on six goals.

Links and trivia

Have played in Italy:
Adam Obert (Sampdoria youth 2018–21, Cagliari 2021–)
Tomáš Suslov (Hellas Verona 2023–)
Roman Čerepkai (Sampdoria youth 2019)

Substitute Nino Marcelli scored in Slovan Bratislava's 2-3 defeat at home to AC Milan on UEFA Champions League Matchday 5 on 26 November 2024.