U21 Euro 2007: 1 Day to go...

Alessandro Rosina and Alberto Aquilani presented a united front as they talked up Italy's chances of claiming a sixth UEFA European Under-21 Championship to complete a unique treble for the country.

Italian football was in despair this time last year, reeling from the outcome of a sporting fraud trial that implicated five top clubs in wrong-doing. Twelve months on and the rebuilding process continues apace. The Azzurri's World Cup triumph was an immediate fillip and with AC Milan claiming the Champions League last month, the U21s could complete a unique treble with success in the Netherlands.

"Despite Serie A experiencing a crisis, Italian football has remained at the summit of world football," said Rosina. "The World Cup and Milan's Champions League victory reflect this and we hope to further underline it by winning the European Under-21 Championship."

The 23-year-old played a key role in Torino's successful fight with relegation and speaks with experience when he underlines the necessity to make a good start in Group B, where they will face Serbia, England and the Czech Republic.

"We play three matches in a very short space of time so it is crucial to start the tournament on the right foot," said the playmaker. "These are all very tough teams but we are Italy so they will certainly fear us. We need to go into games with the right balance between concentration and determination."

It is a sentiment echoed by team-mate Aquilani, who said: "We have a very good squad, with individual quality and the necessary skills to do well. We just need to prove it on the pitch."

Unlike Rosina, the 23-year-old Roma midfielder did not take part in last summer's finals after suffering a knee ligament injury on the eve of the tournament in Portugal, and he is hoping to lay down an early marker when the Azzurrini face Serbia in Nijmegen on Monday.

"The first match is always important," he continued. "But we're calm, because we're aware of our strengths. Anyway, wearing la Maglia Azzurra (blue shirt) is a stimulation in itself."

[U21 Euro 2007 Championship Finals Schedule]