The Italy Under-21 side added Honest Ahanor, but lost Costantino Favasuli and Niccolò Fortini to injury for the decisive European Championship qualifier with Poland.

The Azzurrini scraped a last-gasp 1-0 victory in Armenia last night thanks to the stoppage time goal from Milan’s Alphadjo Cisse.

That means they could still top the group if they beat Poland by two clear goals in Monday’s showdown in Pescara, kicking off at the Stadio Adriatico at 17.15 UK time (18.15 CEST).

However, coach Silvio Baldini will have to do it without two full-backs, because both Napoli’s Favasuli and Fortini of Torino have been sent home to their clubs.

They were suffering from injuries that meant they could not recover in time to feature in the big game.

Instead, Crystal Palace talent Ahanor has been drafted in from the senior Italy squad to bolster their options.

If Italy win but not by two clear goals, they still have a very good chance of going directly into the European Championship as one of the two best runners-up.

Anything less than a victory and they would likely have to go through the play-offs in November.

From a tactical formation and squad depth perspective, "Selección italiana sub-21: Ahanor sumó, pero Favasuli y Fortini están lesionados" carries substantial tournament implications for international seeding and domestic campaign momentum. Coaching staffs are heavily weighing high-pressing efficiency (PPDA), defensive transition pace, and fixture fatigue management.

Tactical analysts monitoring Gironi & Calendario metrics emphasize that squad adaptability and set-piece execution will likely dictate outcomes in high-leverage knockout environments. Real-time match telemetry and tracking data continue to inform managerial decision-making.

Editorial Fact-Check & Verification Note: This briefing was curated, corroborated, and synthesized by the Mondiali 2026 Italia Editorial Desk. Readers following "Selección italiana sub-21: Ahanor sumó, pero Favasuli y Fortini están lesionados" are encouraged to review the full primary source coverage linked below for complete historical context, direct quotes, and official statements.