Italy’s national football team coach Roberto Mancini has named a 34-player squad for the opening four matches of his second tenure leading the Azzurri. The announcement, made on Friday, includes nine players receiving their first call-up.

Mancini, 61, returned to the role after Gennaro Gattuso resigned in March following Italy’s loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the World Cup qualification play-offs. Mancini previously managed Italy from 2018 to 2023, guiding the team to the Euro 2020 championship.

The initial fixtures under Mancini’s renewed leadership are part of the UEFA Nations League Group A1 and will take place over 11 days. Italy will host Belgium in Rome on September 25, then travel to Bursa to face Turkey on September 28. This will be followed by a match against France at the Stade de France on October 2, and a home game against Turkey in Bologna on October 5.

Among the nine newcomers called up are goalkeeper Massimo Pessina from Bologna; defenders Daniele Ghilardi of Roma, Michael Kayode of Brentford, and Eddy Kouadio of Monza; midfielders Alessandro Romano from Cagliari and Issa Doumbia of Sporting Lisbon; and forwards Sebastiano Esposito of Sassuolo, Antonio Vergara of Napoli, and Mohamed Ali Zoma of Nuremberg.

Additionally, two teenage outfield players, Honest Ahanor of Crystal Palace and Samuele Inacio of Borussia Dortmund, whose first selections came during June friendlies against Luxembourg and Greece, have been retained in the squad.

Mancini’s call-up reflects a blend of experienced players and fresh talent as Italy embarks on a new campaign in the Nations League.