Italy under 21 manager Paolo Nicolato has spoken on the importance of Inter defender Alessandro Bastoni ahead of the EURO 2021 qualifiers against Iceland and Armenia.

“Two tough games are waiting for us, against teams who are doing well, but I’m also confident because we have a whole week ahead of us and we can prepare to the fullest, something that hardly happens for us,” he said at a press conference.

““I expect a physical match against Iceland, due to the size of the opponents. However, we will also face a team in good form, given that their domestic season is nearly over.

“My team has also grown, with some guys starting to play more in the league, such as Bastoni, a player that is essential for us, gives us quality, strength and intuition.

He also spoke on Inter youngster Sebastiano Esposito, a player who could find himself in Nicolato’s plans just shortly: “Esposito is a guy who knows how to play football, even if he may not be totally mature yet from a physical point of view.”