Which rules will Baldini implement while in charge of Italy national team?

Silvio Baldini is preparing to lead a youthful Italy side into a pair of international friendlies at the beginning of June, and the interim CT is expected to implement a series of strict rules to keep his players focussed and motivated. Which rules will Baldini bring to Italy national team?Baldini is temporarily serving as head coach of the Italy national team following the departure of Gennaro Gattuso immediately after the World Cup play-off final defeat against Bosnia and Herzegovina at the end of March. FIGC President Gabriele Gravina also resigned following Italy’s failure to qualify for the World Cup and it is expected that a new CT will only be appointed after the Presidential elections take place on June 22. For now, Italy’s U21 coach Baldini has stepped into the role and has named a squad that consists almost entirely of players he knows from the youth set-up. Of the 24 players he has selected, only Gianluigi Donnarumma, Marco Palestra, Niccolo Pisilli and Francesco Pio Esposito have been capped at senior level. Baldini is an interesting character, and it has been widely reported that he likes to impose strict rules on his players in order to get the most out of them during training camps. Italy Under-21 coach Silvio Baldini (@azzurri)As per the Corriere dello Sport, access to mobile phones will be heavily limited, and players will be prohibited from using them in the gym or during massages for example. No players, not even the captain and elder-statesman of the group, Donnarumma, will be entitled to their own single bedroom at Coverciano: Everybody will have to double up in twin rooms instead. Baldini also wants all of his players to be finished with their breakfasts by 9 am, although players will be able to decide for themselves when to set their alarms in the morning. Speaking during his press conference on Friday, Baldini made it clear that he will not bring in a fines system, as he thinks this is a wasted exercise. Instead, if a player steps out of line, the interim Italy head coach has made it clear that they will be packing their bags and heading home. “I set rules and I want them to be respected. There are no fines, for me, that’s reductive. It doesn’t make it clear that you’ve made a mistake. For me, if you’ve made a mistake, you go home,” Baldini said.  EMPOLI, ITALY – MARCH 26: Silvio Baldini manager of Italy U21 looks on during the UEFA Under 21 EURO Qualifier match between Italy U21 and North Macedonia U21 at Stadio Carlo Castellani on March 26, 2026 in Empoli, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)“Young people know that I’m a credible, transparent and unfiltered person. I’ve explained to them that I’m not here to set rules or to be a dictator, but I want to make  them understand that without rules, there are no principles and without principles, there is no team. “You have to have rules: Nutrition, waking up, going to the gym, recovering well. In general, dedicating everything to your body to get yourself in the best condition for the games, so you can express yourself at your best.” Click here to read Baldini’s Italy press conference in full.Read More