Italy and Ukraine FAs agree training partnership

The Italian and Ukrainian football federations agreed on Tuesday to a partnership to train young Ukrainian footballers and coaches in Italy.

The Italian federation (FIGC) said in a statement that the partnership aimed to help with training which has been hampered by Ukraine’s ongoing war with Russia.

“The partnership will guarantee the future of Ukrainian football,” said FIGC president Gabriele Gravina.

The Ukrainian federation (UAF), headed by former AC Milan striker Andriy Shevchenko, will send players and coaches to training centres in Italy, including the central Coverciano centre in Florence.

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“I’ve always felt like Italy was my second home and I have many unforgettable memories,” said Shevchenko.

The two-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is coming up later this month.

The United Nations’ human rights office said last month that it had confirmed the deaths of 10,382 civilians in Ukraine since the invasion but that the real number was likely higher.