Official: Silvio Bardini coaches Italy s U21, Barzali serves as assistant coach

Silvio Baldini (left) and Gabrielle Gravina (right)

According to the official website of the Italian Football Association, former Pescara coach Silvio Baldini coaches the Italian U21 national team, and Italian and Juventus legend Barzali serves as the team's assistant coach.

It is reported that this decision was supported by Italian Football Association Chairman Gravina and Buffon, the current Italian national team leader. Bardini will lead the team to the qualifiers for the 2027 U21 European Cup, which began in September, and will compete for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

"We entrusted the U21 national team to a good coach," said Italian Football Association President Gabrielle Gravina. "He is talented and has distinct values. Baldini has outstanding personality traits and technical knowledge to help the Blues achieve a qualitative leap. Our primary goal is to participate in the Los Angeles Olympics, so I, along with Maurizio Vichdi and Gianluigi Buffon, think we need an experienced leader who can make medium- and long-term plans."

"I am very happy and excited," Baldini said. "I thank President Gravina for the opportunity and trust he has given me. I am glad he is interested in my career and think of me in this role. It makes me very proud to represent the national team and I will try to instill this strong sense of identity and belonging in the hearts of the children. From a technical point of view, I believe we can do a good job, but I know that the only way to achieve results is to work hard, which is why I can't wait to start."

Silvio Bardini was born in 1958 and led Palermo to Serie B in the 2021/2022 season and won the Serie C "Golden Bench" in 2023, and led Pescara to Serie B again this year. He has rich coaching experience and has coached Chivo, Brescia, Empoli, Parma, Lecce and other teams.

Baldini's first coaching match will be against Montenegro on September 5, which is also the first game of Group E of the U21 European Cup qualifiers. The U21 European Cup final stage will be held in Albania in June 2027.

At the same time, former Italian U21 coach Camine Nonziatta will return to the Italian U20 national team to coach and lead the team to Chile to participate in the U-20 World Cup.