It is the fifth attempt to bring down one of the big names competing for promotion. Up until now, Catanzaro has looked them all in the eye, but they lost at home to Cremonese and Spezia, took a point from Sassuolo on their debut and drew against Pisa at the end of October, when the path of growth and recovery had just begun which led him to the playoff position he deservedly occupied so far. An excellent scalp is missing, so beating Pisa this afternoon at the “Ceravolo” would be much more than a whim: «It’s not a graduation exam in the third leg, but on a mental level, of the character, of the boys’ ambition and of each of us, a victory can mean a lot”, confirms Fabio Caserta.
The coach immediately calls up Quagliata (the loan with right of redemption from Cremonese is official which would become an obligation in the case of Serie A) and in the next few days he will also welcome the first reinforcement in midfield, the attacking midfielder (also attacking midfielder or winger) Rares Ilie, national under 21 of Romania so far playing for Nice, French Ligue 1: he will arrive on loan with the right to buy as the third addition (after Quagliata and goalkeeper Gelmi) in a winter campaign which is also resizing an extra large rose. «It is difficult for a coach to manage 27-28 players, but we started with a different system, so by changing some of them suffered a bit due to their characteristics. Working with fewer people means having fewer discontents in the dressing room, but in my opinion the club is working well”, specifies the 46-year-old.
Little problems.
Buso recovered but not at his best, Pittarello with some discomfort in his shoulder as well as the injured Compagnon. Caserta does not have all the material available for its starting eleven, but the basic formation and the substitutions give adequate guarantees even against the second in the class: this time it must be the turn of the Pisan Biasci together with Iemmello, Petriccione returns as director after having served the disqualification, Situm and Brignola can be confirmed on the flanks, who also did well in Bolzano by exchanging lanes: «But if I told you who I put there I would only be doing Pisa a favor», the joke of the coach, who also has Cassandro among the options if he wanted to add defensive vocation and physique against the Tuscan cuirassiers. In defense there is a doubt about Brighenti, however there seems to be no reason to change last week’s trio of Scognamillo, Antonini and Bonini.
Taboo.
«Pisa is doing very, very well, they have a coach who is very important in this category, he gives his mark to the team, he has passion, desire and determination, he will fight for promotion until the end», the notice from Caserta, who he has never beaten Pippo Inzaghi: out of five previous games, he has lost two and drawn three, the last of which was the 0-0 draw in the first leg: «A match that I recently watched again, there we had a great first half and suffered from more in second”. It is also true that the Tuscans only managed to get a shot on target that time due to an excellent defensive performance by the Giallorossi. To be repeated, because the Nerazzurri get off to a rocket start (more goals than anyone else in the first half and in the first 15′) and are equipped in all areas «Individually they are perhaps a little behind Sassuolo, but Pisa is strong, structured, exploits good positioners, knows how to play well, goes directly to the attackers and is second for a reason. Who would take them away? I like Moreo for his flexibility, the balance he gives to the two phases, in his career he achieved less than he could have achieved.” Tuscans fresh from three successes in a row opened by 3-1 against Sassuolo. “They will certainly try to extend their trend.”