Opening wind: Messina from Modica will be inaugurated this evening on the difficult Cerignola pitch. It will be a tough first match, with a Giallorossi team that is still “experimental” if we consider the very heavy absences, all due to disqualification, of captain Ragusa, Manetta and Franco. One per department, in fact the expert structure of the team, the technical and personality backbone. Modica admits it, but doesn’t make any fuss: «They are very important pieces for us, but I have motivated and ready people, we won’t worry, we’ll make a virtue of necessity. Whoever replaces them will not have the same skills as them, but will be able to make up for it. From this point of view I am calm.”
Time for choices. Lia and Tropea on the wings in front of Fumagalli, two central players between Polito, Ferrara and Pacciardi. In front of? Emmausso and Cavallo safe, third jersey to be assigned and consequent positions in the trident. Mister Modica will take into account both the work of these months, therefore the knowledge of his work, and the need to keep the technical level high: «Those present since the beginning of the training camp with us are in better conditions, so I will take this into account for the most part initial deployment, even if others arriving later may find space.” This is the case of Plescia, although he seems initially destined for the bench: «He is not in the same condition as his teammates from a physical point of view but he is highly motivated and available. We have the opportunity to use next week, in which we will not play against Casertana, to improve his situation. Then he can also be useful to us in the first match.” In midfield the adapted Giunta as playmaker, midfielder Frisenna, on the other side a run-off between Scafetta and Ortisi with the first favorite. «Both have shown interesting things in midfield and both can play a dual role, even in attack, being young and flexible. I met Scafetta last year, I’ve already tested him in that position, he can also give a lot as a change of pace.” Florence was initially on the bench: «He arrived at the end of the first part of the training camp, he was out for a week with tendinitis, he is very strong technically and will be important for us, he has quality, we are waiting for him in the best physical conditions».
On the opponent. Cerignola is not a simple obstacle: «We will do the best in our current psycho-physical condition, everyone talks about Avellino, Benevento, Crotone but Cerignola has a staff built in three years, they made the playoffs last year, inserting important elements that have won the last championship. So they will be among the best in this tournament. We are leaving on September 2nd too, but if we do our own thing, we can be a nuisance. Then, we are eleven against eleven, we will also need luck, but we will have to know how to look for it, deserve it, because, if you don’t go to the station, you will never catch the right train. Our best weapon must be an empty stomach – Modica reiterates -, we must be good at understanding that now the preparation phase is over, we start to get serious. We can do well if we put in desire, determination, malice, creating the conditions to build empathy, bringing in desire, light-heartedness, desire, to fight an intriguing, tough championship, with clubs in Serie B until recently. Names matter up to a certain point.”
