On May 28, the Azzurri return to Sardinia after 16 years against San Marino
CAGLIARI. The national team returns to Cagliari: on Friday 28 May the Azzurri will face San Marino at the Sardegna Arena, in a friendly to prepare for the European championship, scheduled from 11 June to 11 July. The match will be a starting point in the preparation of the men of the coach Roberto Mancini towards the continental tournament.
The Sardegna Arena will be the scene for the second time of a match by an Italian team: on 11 September 2018 the stadium hosted the friendly match between Italy and Albania Under 21 (3-1 the result, with goals from Dimarco, Murgia and Parisians). The last time of the senior national team in Sardinia was on February 9, 2005, for a friendly against Russia. Italy won 2-0 with goals from Gilardino and Barone, but it was above all an evening dedicated to Gigi Riva, still the top blue scorer with 35 goals in 42 games and at the time team manager of the blue team, a position he held until 2013.
On that occasion, in a festive atmosphere, the rossoblù shirt number 11 was withdrawn, which Gigi had been able to honor like no other. Previously, the National team had performed in Cagliari four more times: the first, on December 23, 1967, for a match valid for the 1968 European Championship qualifiers. At the Amsicora, Italy-Switzerland finished 4-0, double by Domenghini and goals from Mazzola and Riva. It was a lucky stop on the Azzurri’s path to victory in the continental title, obtained in the final in Rome against Yugoslavia thanks to goals from Riva and Anastasi. The glorious Cagliari facility returned to being the seat of a blue selection match after eleven years: in fact, on 8 December 1956, the National B had met Spain in a friendly match (1-0 the result for the Iberians).
Sant’Elia hosted the friendlies against Spain (20 February 1971, 1-2, for the Azzurri goal by De Sisti) and Argentina led by Maradona (21 December 1989, 0-0), while on 14 October 1992 Italy and Switzerland took the field for their debut in qualifying matches for the 1994 World Cup. A thrilling match: Italy led by Arrigo Sacchi on the bench, under 0-2 with 7 ‘from the end, managed to close the gap first with Roberto Baggio and right in the 90 ‘to grab an unexpected draw thanks to a great goal from Eranio.