Aquilani aiming high

Confident words
"They are really a strong team but we are better than them," Aquilani said. "We shouldn't be worried about them because we can win." Aquilani's confidence comes from Italy's improvement as the tournament has progressed. Paolo Berrettini's side, who drew 1-1 with Portugal in the group stage, were much the better side in their semi-final against the Czech Republic, which they won 1-0.

Finding form
"At the beginning we were quite slow and now we are doing really well,"" he said. "At first I was not pleased with my form because I had gone nearly two months without playing but I was quite happy with my last game."

Key player
Aquilani is one of the key players in the Italian side, his importance born out of his capacity to make things happen in the final third. Asked his strengths he cited his "technical skills" and added: "I like to organise the play and therefore to play in the middle. It could be either up front or further back but always in the centre of the pitch as I love to be the playmaker."

'Fantastic experiences'
It is the 19-year-old's second taste of a UEFA youth tournament, having represented Italy's Under-16s in England in 2001. "These are fantastic experiences as you can face the best international teams of this age and it gives you some more confidence when you go back to your club," he said.

Joining Triestina
Aquilani's club are AS Roma, his boyhood favourites and the team he joined as a nine-year-old. His talents have already attracted interest from clubs in England and after three seasons in Roma's youth section, he will join Serie B side USC Triestina for the coming season to gain senior experience. Accompanying him to Triestina are two other members of this Italy team, Roma team-mate Damiano Ferronetti and Torino Calcio's Andrea Mantovani.

Eager to step up
"First of all I want to play in a professional team and step up from youth football," he said. "The level of Serie B is not too far below Serie A and I want to gain some more experience because at Roma I haven't really had a chance to play."

'Lots to improve'
One of the areas of his game he hopes to improve is his finishing. He struck the late penalty which undid Norway in Italy's opening match and hit the crossbar with a free-kick against the Czechs. "There are lots of things to improve - one of them being my shooting," he said. "I did not have much luck until now. I started by aiming at the stars then I hit the bar in the last game and so I hope the next one will be in the net."