Italy team guide

Italy will look to make full use of home advantage to repeat their successful campaign of three years ago when they surprisingly won their first European crown in impressive fashion. They beat Norway in the final in Blois thanks to a penalty from now senior international Alice Parisi.

Twelve months ago the Azzurrine bowed out after finishing behind Germany and England in the group stage and having suffered defeats by the Netherlands, Denmark and France in La Manga in March, Corrado Corradini's side have plenty of work to do.

Key players
Michela Ledri (defender, ASD CF Bardolino Verona), Elisa Lecce (midfielder, CF Sport Napoli), Martina Rosucci (midfielder, Torino Calcio Femminile), Marta Mason (forward, AC Reggiana Femminile).

Coach: Corrado Corradini
Date of Birth:01/07/1944
Playing career:S.S. Lazio
Coaching career: S.S. Lazio (youth), Italy (assistant first-team coach), Italy women's U19

On the books of hometown club Lazio for 18 years without making a Serie A appearance, Corrado Corradini has made bigger impression as a coach. After finishing his playing career in Serie C, Corradini obtained his coaching licence and by 1977 was working at the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) with the U15 and U16 sides. In 1996/97 he returned to Lazio to assist head coach Dino Zoff and the following season took the reins of the club's youth team.

Two years later he renewed acquaintances with Zoff – by now coach of the senior men's national team – to work as a scout. Corradini outlasted Zoff and worked under Giovanni Trapattoni in a similar role. In 2004 he moved back into youth football and was among Italy's technical staff during the 2005 FIFA U-20 World Cup. He then switched to the Women's U19s, first as assistant to Pietro Ghedin and then as coach, culminating in final glory in 2008.

UEFA European Women's Under-19 Championship best
Winners: 2008