Overview

• Coach Gianmarco Pozzecco confirmed a 12-man squad featuring newcomers Darius Thompson and Saliou Niang alongside veterans Danilo Gallinari and captain Nicolò Melli.
• Italy opens Group C on Thursday in Limassol against Greece before facing Georgia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Spain and host Cyprus.
• Riccardo Rossato was the last cut, and Pozzecco publicly praised his professionalism while also acknowledging absentees Alessandro Polonara and Luca Tonut.
• Pozzecco said Thompson and Gallinari joined the group late and noted concern over Nicola Akele’s physical issues, yet he voiced confidence the team will be ready.
• Preparation included recent defeats at the Acropolis tournament, adding weight to Italy’s push to reassert itself in a challenging group across a tournament hosted in Latvia, Cyprus, Finland and Poland.