Five academy starlets called up for international duty

As the international break begins this week, a number of Sampdoria’s academy players have been called up by their respective national sides for games over the coming 10 days.

18-year-old goalkeeper Titas Krapikas will join up with Lithuania U21s for next week’s European U21 Championship qualifier against Denmark in Aalborg.

Facing him on the opposite team for the Group 3 match on 5 September will be his new Samp team-mate Joachim Andersen, 21.

Elsewhere, Albanian right-back Masimiliano Doda, 16, and Latvia centre-half Roberts Veips, 17 – both of whom have recently been promoted to the Primavera squad – have been called up by their respective national U19 teams for friendly double-headers.

Doda will be available for Albania’s two games against Georgia in Fier on 30 August and 1 September, while Veips could feature for Latvia against Greece in Agrinio on 2 or 4 September.

Meanwhile midfielder Matteo Trimboli will take part in a four-day training camp with Italy U16s in Bagno di Romagna in the province of Forli-Cesena. The camp runs from Monday 28 to Thursday 31 August and will end with a friendly against Cesena’s U16s.