Luigi Di Biagio admits he ‘doesn’t know’ how Italy Under-21s threw away a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Croatia on Monday.

Italy U21 have now won just two of their last nine games after also failing to beat Austria, but Di Biagio insisted there were still ‘positives’ to be drawn from the friendly in Frosinone.

“Croatia are a team who let you play a bit more than usual,” he said after the game.

Liechtenstein CT Helgi Koldvisson has described facing Italy an ‘honour’ ahead of Tuesday’s Euro 2020 qualifier between the two nations.

Liechtenstein have gone five years without a win in qualifying, and Kolvidsson hopes to see ‘hearts beating a little faster’ when his minnows take on Italy.

“The main objective in this qualifying group is to pick up some points, it doesn’t matter if we score or not,” he said at a Press conference.

Leonardo Bonucci says he is glad Italy teammate Moise Kean took his and Giorgio Chiellini’s advice and stayed at Juventus.

Kean has emerged as a breakout star this season, helping Juve reach the Champions League quarter-finals, before scoring on his full Italy debut against Finland.

“Kean has grown a lot and has made great strides forward,” he said at a Press conference for the Azzurri’s Euro 2020 qualifier against Liechtenstein on Tuesday.

Italy’s Under-21 team blew a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Croatia on Monday evening.

Italy made the perfect start as Alessandro Bastoni’s header and a Manuel Locatelli [pictured] strike put them 2-0 up inside the opening 26 minutes.

However, Riccardo Orsolini’s failure to take a one-on-one was quickly followed by Milan loanee Alen Halilovic pulling a goal back with a long-range effort.

Roberto Mancini has asserted that Italy’s objective is ‘to make fans enthusiastic about us again’ ahead of Tuesday’s Euro 2020 qualifier against Liechtenstein.

Italy kicked off their qualifying campaign with a 2-0 victory over Finland, and Mancini promised changes for their second and final match of the international break.

“I’ll be able to change some players, but we must have our own identity, regardless of our opponents,” he said at a Press conference.

Italy icon Fabio Cannavaro is reportedly already at risk of losing the China job after overseeing consecutive defeats.

Cannavaro was only confirmed as China CT last week, with Marcello Lippi employed as his consultant, but La Repubblica claims his position has been thrown into doubt by 1-0 losses to Thailand and Uzbekistan in the China Cup.

“The [Chinese] federation still hasn’t taken a clear position on the appointment of a CT,” he told reporters.

Alex Meret and Sandro Tonali come into the Italy Under-21 XI for tonight’s friendly against Croatia.

Meret has recovered from flu to start ahead of Emil Audero in goal, while Brescia starlet Tonali takes the place of Lazio midfielder Alessandro Murgia.

Elsewhere, Parma pair Alessandro Bastoni and Federico Dimarco come into defence and Torino forward Vittorio Parigini lines up on the left wing.

Croatia, on the other hand, have a familiar face on the field in Milan winger Alen Halilovic, who is currently on loan at Standard Liege.

Former FIGC President Carlo Tavecchio has revealed that Antonio Conte ‘wants to get back to coaching in Italy’. 

Conte is expected to find a new club for next season, having spent the past campaign battling Chelsea for compensation, and Tavecchio all-but-confirmed Serie A was the ex-Juventus Coach’s next port of call.

“Conte wants to get back to coaching in Italy,” he told Gr Parlamento.

An Italian commentator has been forced to apologise for claiming lineswomen were ‘disgusting’ and ‘unwatchable’ during a live broadcast.

Sergio Vessicchio was commentating the regional fixture between Campanian sides Agropoli and Sant’Agnello when he launched his sexist tirade against female assistant referee Annalisa Moccia.

“I’d ask the director to take a look at the lineswoman, who is unwatchable,” he said during his broadcast on CanaleCinqueTv.

Napoli boss Carlo Ancelotti believes the problems with Italian football are ‘cultural’ after taking issue with the ‘insults’ he has received.

Ancelotti returned to Serie A with Napoli last summer after nine years away, managing Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich in that time.

“I was abroad for nine years and throughout that time I never received an insult,” he said upon receiving an ethics award at the University of Rome Tor Vergata.