The eve at Vibonese’s home was spent behind strictly closed doors to keep prying observers away from “Luigi Razza” and to conclude the countdown towards the derby with Reggina with maximum concentration. The only exception was just before the start of the classic Saturday finishing session with the team receiving a welcome visit from a delegation of fans from the Curva Est who wanted to encourage and thank Favo and his teammates for the great results obtained so far and for having awakened the enthusiasm of a city that grows from week to week. At the end of the training it was also seen Pippo Caffo strictly in tracksuit and already in match mood. The owner wanted to personally greet every single player on the eve of a match which represents an important turning point in this initial part of the season.
«It is a match that has charm and a derby felt by both fans», remarked coach Michele Facciolo in the press room: «I think it could be – he underlined – a good experience for the boys. It is clearly a match worth three points even though we will face Reggina, the team that, at least for Calabria, represents the history of football. We will find players with a CV that speaks for itself and frankly I struggle to find one who has played in lower categories. This must be a further incentive for us to go on the pitch and put in a great performance.”
We start again with Vibonese at the top together with Scafatese and Siracusa while Reggina chases with two points behind and the risk of finding themselves -5 behind the rossoblù. Caffo and Facciolo dream of a double rematch. The president has not forgotten the elimination that occurred in the playoffs last May while the coach still has in mind the two-nil suffered at the “Granillo” in the first official match of this season with the Vibonese immediately out of the Italian Cup.
The technical change at Amaranth is one of the main puzzles of the day before. How will Reggina react and what will the rossoblù’s countermeasures be? «Trocini – explained Facciolo – had finished a great championship by reaching the playoffs, he has many players who were there last year and therefore he will change his attitude by giving something more. We have to play our game and play our football to put them in difficulty.”
Previous. The intersections between the two coaches smile on Facciolo who on the bench of Sant’Agata last season defeated Reggina on the field twice. Trocini, on the other hand, has a positive tradition with Vibonese. Last season he interrupted the winning streak of Buscè’s team in the first leg, lost narrowly in the return but won the playoff final at the “Razza” at the expense of the rossoblù with the winning goal scored by Barillà. Overall the derby between Vibonese and Reggina is in perfect parity with two successes for each side and only one “X”.
Derby fever. Pre-sales are going swimmingly with over a thousand tickets already sold and the concrete possibility of seeing the “Luigi Razza” again finally full (box offices open again this morning from 9.30).
Training. Facciolo will have to miss out on Spaniard Checa (fractured hand in training) and Berardi who took to the field on Friday evening with the San Marino national team in the penultimate round of the Nations League (1-1 with Gibraltar). The San Marino playmaker will be the big absentee but on the outside Vibonese is ready to spread its wings by relying on Simonelli (preferred to the former Marras) and Terranova with Alagna ready to strike and sink a Reggina that can no longer make mistakes.
