Parma, Bari, Cittadella and Sampdoria. Now that the international break is behind us, Catanzaro sees the next championship matches closer. The four opponents lined up in the calendar are the quintessence of Serie B. Parma and Bari are the nobles kicked out of the last playoffs by Sir Claudio Ranieri’s Cagliari: they were aiming for Serie A, where the Sardinians went, and are now trying again with different formulas (the Emilians in continuity with last year, the Apulians changing quite a lot), but with unchanged credits despite the diversity of objectives (direct promotion for the former, play-offs for the latter). Sampdoria is the club with the bluest blood, the one that is trying to get back on its feet after a relegation and a very dangerous dance with bankruptcy, avoided by a hair’s breadth: in Genoa they started late and with some logical difficulties, the problems have not disappeared, but it’s still Sampdoria, a giant.
Cittadella plays well, is organized to perfection, a consolidated reality of the cadet tournament, more or less what Catanzaro wants to become. In short, within three weeks, Vivarini’s team will understand even better which class to travel in: after four rounds they have grabbed the best seats, in the next four they will know if their “business” tickets will still have value.
Parma, of course, is the most dangerous as well as imminent obstacle. The presale for Sunday’s match at the “Ceravolo” begins this morning (11 am), while the team resumes preparation in the afternoon in Giovino. Vivarini has practically everyone available; he reunites with the nationals D’Andrea and Krastev; can continue to evaluate Ambrosino’s recovery progress on the field; saw its most powerful weapons, Iemmello and Donnarumma, unlocked against Lecco, in addition to those already burned, Biasci and Vandeputte. The Giallorossi are well and have enthusiasm, as do the fans. The environmental context, the full “Ceravolo”, the psychophysical condition: it will all be very useful against the battleship coached by Pecchia. Regardless of the result, it will be very important to maintain the same self-confidence and the same harmony with the square.
Because the following Sunday the trip to “San Nicola” will represent another challenge very demanding test: Bari has everything to try again the great leap, organization and individual quality starting from a player that Magalini would have wanted in the Giallorossi like the former Cosenza Nasti. If the name is enough to respect Sampdoria who await the Eagles on October 1st, Cittadella also deserves maximum attention, who will appear at the “Ceravolo” in the midweek round at the end of the month (Wednesday 27 September). For the Venetians, it is enough to look back at the difficulties they created for Parma away from home to get us to attention. Three big names and a very aggressive little one: the upcoming poker is very difficult, but perhaps there is nothing better to test the rocket start that gave the Giallorossi the top spot. Whoever faces Catanzaro will have their eyes wide open.
