News Focus
- Italy finish their 2025-26 campaign with an international friendly against Greece in Heraklion
- Silvio Baldini’s youthful Azzurri side reduced to ten men early after Reggiani’s dismissal
- Gianluigi Donnarumma produces crucial saves to preserve the result for the depleted visitors
- Teenage prospects Camarda and Faticanti earn senior debuts during the second half
- The Italian Football Federation will elect a new president on June 22 before appointing a permanent manager
Italy concluded their disappointing 2025-26 season with a hard-fought friendly against Greece at the Pankritio Stadium in Heraklion on Sunday evening. The clash kicked off at 21:00 local time and marked the final appearance for the Azzurri before they turn their attention to September’s Nations League opener.
The visitors entered the match under the guidance of caretaker manager Silvio Baldini, who had overseen a narrow 1-0 victory against Luxembourg earlier in the week. That win came courtesy of Inter Milan youngster Francesco Pio Esposito. However, Italy’s failure to qualify for the World Cup means this fixture effectively closed a forgettable campaign for the four-time world champions.
The Azzurri faced an early setback when defender Riccardo Reggiani received his marching orders just thirteen minutes into his senior debut. The referee showed red after VAR confirmed Reggiani had pulled the shirt of Greece’s Douvikas during a counter-attack. Despite being reduced to ten men, Italy defended with determination throughout the contest.
Goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma emerged as the hero for the depleted side. The Paris Saint-Germain shot-stopper produced several outstanding saves, including a crucial block to deny Greece’s Pavlidis from close range. Donnarumma also confidently claimed late crosses and corners to ease the pressure on his young defence.
Baldini used the opportunity to blood several academy graduates. Milan prodigy Francesco Camarda and Roma midfielder Niccolò Faticanti both entered the pitch in the second half to earn their first senior caps. Fellow youngsters Federico Favasuli and Lorenzo Dagasso also featured as substitutes, signalling a clear shift toward youth development.
The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) will now focus on restructuring ahead of the new season. The governing body will hold presidential elections on June 22, 2026, after which they aim to appoint a permanent replacement for Baldini. Former Napoli and Chelsea boss Antonio Conte currently leads the betting for the vacancy.
Italy return to competitive action on September 25 when they travel to Belgium for their opening 2025-26 Nations League Group A fixture. The Serie A domestic season is scheduled to resume on the weekend of August 23, 2026.
Following the final whistle, Baldini praised his squad’s maturity. “I was not handing out praise for the sake of it. When young players understand that having rules is a resource rather than a punishment, they have reached the level of maturity needed to become an important team,” he stated. The players celebrated enthusiastically on the pitch, with Donnarumma receiving hugs from teammates after an inspirational performance between the posts.