Azzurrini discover Euro qualifying tasks

The draw for the Qualifying Round of the 2010-11 UEFA European Under-19 and Under-17 Championships have been made in Switzerland.

Both of Italy's Under-19 and Under-17 age groups are aiming to qualify for their respective final tournaments in Romania and Serbia in the summer of 2011, but they will have to progress through the first of two qualifying stages to reach that goal.

Following the U19 draw in Nyon today, Italy have been placed in Qualifying Round Group 7 together with Croatia, Faroe Islands and hosts Latvia.

For the European Under-19 Championships, 52 national teams were split into 13 groups of four, to be played in autumn 2010 as one-venue mini-tournaments. The top two in each Qualifying Round section, plus the two third-placed sides with the best record against the top two in their group, will progress to the Elite Round, which will be played in the spring of 2011.

The winners of the seven Elite Round sections will join hosts Romania in the final tournament later that summer.

However, before the 2010-11 campaign kicks off, Italy's Under-19s are in the middle of the 2009-10 season, where the Azzurrini have reached the second qualifying stage - the Elite Round. The final tournament in France next summer will be used to determine Europe's representatives at the 2011 FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Colombia.

Meanwhile, in the U17 draw Italy have been drawn alongside France, Slovenia and mini-tournament hosts Cyprus in Qualifying Round Group 9.

Like its senior counterpart, 52 national teams were split into 13 groups of four in the European Under-17 Championships. The top two in each Qualifying Round section next autumn, plus the two third-placed sides with the best record against the top two in their group, will progress to the Elite Round, which will be played in the spring of 2011.

The winners of the seven Elite Round sections will join hosts Serbia in the final tournament later that summer.

There will be greater importance placed on the U17 tournament in the 2010-11 campaign as that will be used to determine Europe's representatives at the 2011 FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Mexico.

In this current 2009-10 season, Italy's Under-17s failed to get past the Qualifying Round and so will not participate in the final tournament in Liechtenstein next summer.


2010-11 UEFA EUROPEAN UNDER-19 CHAMPIONSHIPS
> Qualifying Round Group 7 (in Latvia)
Match dates TBA.
Italy, Croatia, Latvia, Faroe Islands.

> Elite Round

> Final Tournament (in Romania)



2010-11 UEFA EUROPEAN UNDER-17 CHAMPIONSHIPS
> Qualifying Round Group 9 (in Cyprus)
27 October to 1 November 2010.
France, Italy, Slovenia, Cyprus.

> Elite Round

> Final Tournament (in Serbia)

> FIFA Under-17 World Cup 2011 (in Mexico)

Source: UEFA / FIGC