The new era of the Italian national soccer team could begin under the sign of diplomatic tension even before football itself. Coach Silvio Baldini is preparing a dramatically refreshed group for June's friendlies against Luxembourg and Greece, although the second match has caused friction between the two federations. According to Greek media reports, the Greek federation anticipated facing an Italian team that consisted of important first-team players. Greece, which also failed to qualify for the World Cup, sees the friendly as a crucial competitive test before the UEFA Nations League in September. However, Baldini sees things differently. He seeks to use the two June matches as a proving ground to assess some of the most promising prospects in Italian soccer, many of whom he has already observed during his tenure with the Under-21s. The idea is partly based on practical considerations: with the European season over and no World Cup to prepare for, numerous veterans' motivation would be reduced with only a few days until the start of the summer break. This strategy is evident across the entire team list. The goalkeepers are Giovanni Daffara, Gianluigi Donnarumma, and Lorenzo Palmisani. Honest Ahanor, Davide Bartesaghi, Fabio Chiarodia, Pietro Comuzzo, Costantino Favasuli, Filippo Mané, Marco Palestra, and Luca Reggiani make up the defense. Baldini has selected Matteo Dagasso, Giacomo Faticanti, Luca Lipani, Cher Ndour, Niccolò Pisilli, and Lorenzo Venturino for the midfield position. The attacking lineup consists of Francesco Camarda, Luigi Cherubini, Jeff Ekhator, Francesco Pio Esposito, Seydou Fini, Samuele Inacio, and Luca Koleosho. Many of them are regarded as among the best emerging prospects in Italian soccer, but several have not yet accumulated consistent experience even in Serie A. There is also a political and commercial aspect to the dispute. International friendlies create television revenue and media buzz, particularly when historic national teams such as Italy and Greece compete. Faced with an experimental version of the Azzurri, the Hellenic Soccer Federation fears that the event's technical and symbolic importance will be diminished. Negotiations between the two federations have been ongoing for several days in an attempt to avoid a formal rupture. The problem is that the FIFA calendar for June leaves little room for improvement: selecting a replacement opponent at the last minute would be incredibly difficult for Italy and Greece. The match has not yet been canceled, although the possibility of a scheduling adjustment exists.