Top of Group 1, Ireland have three games remaining in this qualifying campaign as they seek to qualify for the UEFA Under-21 European Championships for the first time.

The nine group winners and the five best runners-up (not counting results against the sixth-placed team) will qualify for the finals tournament.

TEAM NEWS
There are no injury concerns for the Republic of Ireland with a full squad to pick from.

Defender Dara O’Shea and midfielder Jason Knight were promoted to the Men’s Senior Squad, while forward Neil Farrugia withdrew due to a hamstring injury.

QUOTES
Republic of Ireland Manager Jim Crawford
“We are looking forward to the game. We know just how important this game in terms of the Group but also in terms of our chances of qualifying for the finals tournament.

“We have kept an eye on what has been going on and we will be as prepared as we can be for the game. Our staff has been working hard to provide us with as much information as possible as we can get on the Italian team.

“Everyone with us is fit and available. Including the staff, we had 34 tests done and 34 came back negative, so there is a lot of credit to the players for following the protocols.

“This game is a great opportunity for us and we have been working hard in training all week. We have some really good players and we want to continue on the good form that we have showed already in this qualifying campaign.”

SQUAD LISTS

Italy
Goalkeepers: Leonardo Loria (Pisa), Alessandro Russo (Virtus Entella)
Defenders: Claud Adjapong (Lecce), Enrico Del Prato (Reggina), Marco Sala (SPAL), Riccardo Marchizza (Spezia), Marco Varnier (Pisa), Alessandro Tripaldelli (Cagliari), Nicolo Casale (Empoli), Raoul Bellanova (Pescara), Gianluca Frabotta (Juventus)
Midfielders: Niccolo Zanellato (Crotone), Giulio Maggiore (Spezia), Sandro Tonali (AC Milan), Davide Frattesi (Monza), Andrea Colpani (Monza), Youssef Maleh (Venezia), Samuele Ricci (Empoli)
Forwards: Patrick Cutrone (Fiorentina), Gianluca Scamacca (Genoa), Riccardo Sottil (Cagliari), Andrea Pinamonti (Inter Milan)

Republic of Ireland
Goalkeepers: Gavin Bazunu (Rochdale, on loan from Manchester City), Ed McGinty (Sligo Rovers)
Defenders: Nathan Collins (Stoke City), Darragh Leahy (Dundalk), Conor Masterson (Queens Park Rangers), Conor McCarthy (St. Mirren), Danny McNamara (St Johnstone, on loan from Millwall), Lee O’Connor (Tranmere Rovers, on loan from Celtic), Thomas O’Connor (Southampton), Liam Scales (Shamrock Rovers)
Midfielders: Conor Coventry (West Ham United), Will Ferry (Southampton), Daniel Mandroiu (Bohemians), Connor Ronan (Grasshopper Zurich, on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers), Will Smallbone (Southampton), Jack Taylor (Peterborough United), Danny Grant (Bohemians)
Forwards: Jonathan Afolabi (Dundee, on loan from Celtic), Zach Elbouzedi (Lincoln City), Joshua Kayode (Carlisle United, on loan from Rotherham United), Michael Obafemi (Southampton)

CAPS LIST

Republic of Ireland
Goalkeepers: Gavin Bazunu (2 Caps), Ed McGinty (0 Caps)
Defenders: Nathan Collins (2 Caps), Darragh Leahy (9 Caps), Conor Masterson (10 Caps), Conor McCarthy (0 Caps), Danny McNamara (1 Cap), Lee O’Connor (11 Caps), Thomas O’Connor (2 Caps), Liam Scales (4 Caps)
Midfielders: Conor Coventry (11 Caps), Will Ferry (0 Caps), Daniel Mandroiu (4 Caps), Connor Ronan (11 Caps), Will Smallbone (0 Caps), Jack Taylor (5 Caps), Danny Grant (0 Caps)
Forwards: Jonathan Afolabi (1 Cap), Zach Elbouzedi (10 Caps), Joshua Kayode (0 Caps), Michael Obafemi (2 Caps)

2019/20 QUALIFYING CAMPAIGN STATS
7 games played
12 goals scored
3 clean sheets
102 attempts on goal
52 attempts on target
11 attempts blocked
36 corners won

Goals
4 – Troy Parrott
3 – Adam Idah
2 – Zach Elbouzedi
1 – Neil Farrugia, Conor Masterson, Lee O’Connor

Clean Sheets
3 – Caoimhin Kelleher
1 – Gavin Bazunu

Yellow Cards
16 – Nathan Collins, Conor Coventry, Adam Idah, Jason Knight, Conor Masterson, Jayson Molumby, Lee O’Connor (2), Dara O’Shea (2), Troy Parrott (2), Connor Ronan

Red Cards
3 – Lee O’Connor, Dara O’Shea, Troy Parrott

RESULTS
March 24, 2019: Republic of Ireland 3-0 Luxembourg
September 6, 2019: Iceland 3-0 Luxembourg
September 6, 2019: Republic of Ireland 1-0 Armenia
September 9, 2019: Iceland 6-1 Armenia
September 10, 2019: Italy 5-0 Luxembourg
September 10, 2019: Sweden 1-3 Republic of Ireland
October 10, 2019: Republic of Ireland 0-0 Italy
October 11, 2019: Armenia 2-0 Luxembourg
October 12, 2019: Sweden 5-0 Iceland
October 14, 2019: Armenia 0-1 Italy
October 15, 2019: Iceland 1-0 Republic of Ireland
October 15, 2019: Luxembourg 0-3 Sweden
November 14, 2019: Armenia 0-1 Republic of Ireland
November 16, 2019: Italy 3-0 Iceland
November 19, 2019: Italy 6-0 Armenia
November 19, 2019: Republic of Ireland 4-1 Sweden
September 4, 2020: Iceland 1-0 Sweden
September 8, 2020: Luxembourg 2-1 Armenia
September 8, 2020: Sweden 3-0 Italy
October 9, 2020: Iceland P-P Italy
October 9, 2020: Sweden 4-0 Luxembourg

FIXTURES
October 13, 2020: Luxembourg v Iceland
October 13, 2020: Italy v Republic of Ireland
October 13, 2020: Sweden v Armenia
November 12, 2020: Luxembourg v Italy
November 12, 2020: Republic of Ireland v Iceland
November 13, 2020: Armenia v Sweden
November 17, 2020: Armenia v Iceland
November 17, 2020: Luxembourg v Republic of Ireland
November 17, 2020: Italy v Sweden

PREVIOUS MEETINGS
May 9, 2002: Italy 2-0 Republic of Ireland
February 25, 2004: Republic of Ireland 1-0 Italy
June 4, 2012: Republic of Ireland 2-2 Italy
September 10, 2012: Italy 2-4 Republic of Ireland
October 10, 2019: Republic of Ireland 0-0 Italy

NOTES
Italy have won the UEFA under-21 European Championships five times (1992, 1994, 1996, 2000, 2004)

UEFA Under-21 European Championship Qualifier - Group 1
Italy v Republic of Ireland
Tuesday, October 13
Arena Garibaldi, Pisa
KO 16:00 (Irish Time)
Referee: Krzysztof Jakubik (Poland)

SOCIAL MEDIA
Game Hashtag: #ITAIRL
Team Hashtag: #IRLU21