Italy Under-21 beat France 2-1 in Laval through a stronger second half, but Francesco Camarda's goal should not be treated as proof that the personal difficulty discussed by coach Silvio Baldini has disappeared.
Camarda opened the scoring nine minutes after the break after missing an open-goal chance in the first half. France levelled through Versini in the 16th minute of the second half, before Lipani struck the winner seven minutes later with a shot to the goalkeeper's right. La Repubblica reported that both Italian goals came after half-time.
The result matters because Italy responded immediately after conceding and won away against a high-level opponent. Yet, in a friendly, the useful conclusion is the quality of that response, not a sweeping claim about the long-term state of the team.
Baldini praised his players' quality, commitment and intelligence. He also spoke directly about Camarda, saying the player is experiencing a psychological difficulty rather than a physical or technical one. The coach referred to the pressure surrounding a player born in 2008 who is already involved in senior-level football.
That distinction should remain central. A goal can reward a performance and bring confidence, but it cannot settle a psychological difficulty from the outside. The win shows an Under-21 side that found another level after the interval; Baldini's comments are a reason not to reduce Camarda to his latest scoreline.
Italy Under-21 are scheduled to play Belgium in another friendly in Livorno on Monday.
Source: la Repubblica, 13 November 2026: https://www.repubblica.it/sport/calcio/nazionale/2026/11/13/news/francia_italia_under_21_gol-425722091
Sources
- la Repubblica · Source date: 2026-11-13
Independent editorial content. WUA is not affiliated with any political party. 2026-11-13