Baldini is back with the Italy U21 squad following his interim spell in charge of the senior national team for a pair of friendlies in June. He thinks that the players he took with him for that spell have developed quicker as a result. "This is a group that fills me with pride when we train and pride when we play," he said. "It was a great feeling in June, and as a result of it, the guys in the U21s have matured faster."
Baldini believes that several of the current U21s squad could have been called up to the senior squad in September and October, and that there is still a large chance they will do in the next international break. "Mancini knows this group very well," he said. "He knows which players could be useful to him, and I think that he's left several of them with us because we have these important qualifying matches to play. So, maybe during the next break some of the guys who are here today could be with the senior national team."
The Italy U21s will be involved in a pair of crucial qualifiers for the upcoming 2027 U21 European Championship in the coming weeks: Against Armenia on October 1 and against Poland on October 5. These will be the final two matches in qualification. Italy are currently in second place in their qualification group and cannot mathematically finish any lower. They are three points behind group leaders Poland, whom they will face on October 5.