Gianni Petrucci has a request for Serie A clubs: “Let them play”

The day after the Under-18 national team won the silver medal at the European Championship, President Gianni Petrucci sent a clear message to all Serie A clubs: “To Italian coaches, I want to say: let our young players take the court—they deserve it.”

In the final in Trento, the Azzurri were defeated only by Slovenia, which played flawlessly for all 40 minutes (71–88). But beyond the result of the final game, what remains in everyone’s mind is the image of an exceptional group: a team that, over these nine days, was able to endure, fight, and overcome every obstacle with boundless heart. This second-place finish is not a destination but a starting point, and it serves as a reward for the character of a national team that made us dream.

It is the fifth medal won by the Men’s Youth Division in the last four years: silver at the 2023 Under-16 European Championship, silver at the 2024 Under-17 World Championship, gold at the 2025 Under-20 European Championship, and bronze at the 2025 Under-18 European Championship. Today’s top scorer was Cheickh Niang with 27 points. For the European champions, Stefan Joksimovic scored 24 points and Lukas Bojovic scored 21.

Now comes the real challenge: seeing these young Italian talents find a way to earn playing time at their respective clubs as well. They’re all ready to take a big leap forward, but they need the opportunity to play.