The preview of the Friday evening of Penzo tra Venice and Cremonesethird and fourth respectively in the rankings, is the big match of the 35th day of the championship Serie B. Lagunari and Grigiorossi are three points apart but are going through diametrically opposite moments. Venezia are looking for their third victory in a row, the Lombards have won only once in the last five matches and lost on three occasions: from second they dropped to fourth place, compromising direct promotion: Como, vice-leaders, are 7 points away.
The match between Pisa and Catanzaro is also very interesting, another preview for Friday 26 April: the home team sees eighth place, and also seventh, while the Calabrians are fifth and want to keep their lead intact over Palermo who are chasing them by four points. detachment.
But with four days to go the first verdicts could arrive.
Spin for Parma, they receive Lecco practically doomed
On Saturday 27 April, league leaders Parma receives Cinderella Lecco in the most classic of spins. The predictions are all for the hosts who are looking for the three points to resume the race towards Serie A after a dull period with two victories in the last five matchdays; the guests, on the other hand, are formally condemned to relegation to Serie C. The Lombard freshman would have to perform an authentic sporting feat to cling to the hope of reaching the play outs. And to do so he would have to win at the Tardini. Success is the only possible option: otherwise, three days early, Lecco will say goodbye to the cadet series after just one season.
As guests of Sampdoria, Palermo seeks the three points with Reggiana
A very interesting match is the one between Sampdoria and Como with the Blucerchiati wanting to defend the play off zone and the Como team, second in the standings, having won continuously for five matches. Sampdoria, on the other hand, eighth with 45 points (22 less than their opponents), have collected two points in the last three games resulting from two draws alternating with a knockout. Mini-streak that held back Pirlo’s team who seemed to be on the move. The Como team, on the other hand, have to defend second place which is worth direct promotion to Serie A from the attacks of Venezia.
Palermo-Parma, Serie B 2023-2024. Ceccaroni in action. Photo Pasquale Ponente
In the play off zone, Palermo receives Reggiana with the aim of returning to success after five rounds of abstinence. The Rosanero have not won since March 10th, when they conquered Lecco. It was still the “Corini era” which would end shortly. The Sicilians are looking for their first victory with Mignani who so far has collected three draws, the last of which with league leaders Parma, to consolidate sixth position and plan for the play-offs well in advance in the hope of causing trouble in the next three days at Catanzaro.
Reggiana, for its part, is not going through a good moment: three consecutive defeats have brought down the shares of the Emilians who now have a 4 point advantage from the play out zone. In short, there will be no lack of motivation despite the different objectives.
Brescia defends the play offs, Spezia to get out of the tunnel
The match between Brescia and Spezia offers important points. The home Rondinelle, seventh with 46 points, must defend the position that guarantees the play-offs for promotion to Serie A. Spezia, on the other hand, has so far collected 36 points and today, if the regular season were to end, they would play in the play-outs with Bari For the Bianconeri, fresh from the mock draw with Sampdoria in the Ligurian derby which ended 0-0 but with a goal disallowed, it is imperative to emerge undefeated against Rigamonti.
Cosenza-Bari for salvation
Cosenza-Bari should be considered a salvation challenge in its own right. The Sila team, after the 4-0 defeat at Reggiana’s home in the previous round, are revitalized by obtaining those three points that separate them from the danger zone.
Different story for the Apulians who have collected a paltry three points in the last nine matchdays and haven’t won in ten games. Results that led not only to the change of coach (Iachini out, Giampaolo in), but also to a collapse in the standings. Bari is now in full battle to avoid the play-out tussle but if the regular season ended they would be forced to play a draw with Spezia.
The two teams are separated by three lengths and therefore both will have blood in their eyes to get the entire stake. A draw could be good for Cosenza but the risk of being approached in the danger zone or, even worse, the zone of no return would be high.
Ternana and Ascoli can’t be wrong
Another “salvation play-off” is certainly Ternana-Ascoli scheduled for the Libero Liberati on Saturday 27 April at 2pm. The ones from the Marche region are undoubtedly worse off, who with 34 points are in third-to-last position in the relegation zone. Ternana with five points in the last three games (three in the away win in Cremona two rounds ago) has just left the play out zone and – to be clear – would be safe today.
Three very important points, therefore. They would allow the Umbrians to set the arrow and veer towards direct salvation; it would allow the Bianconeri to continue to hope at least in the play outs. A knockout would be dangerous for both.
The other games
The Saturday program ends with Modena-Sudtirol at 2pm and Cittadella-Feralpisalò at 4.15pm. Modena, who won only once in the second round, are at 40 points with a margin of three points over the danger zone. Sudtirol is a little better: 43 points and an overall minimal distance from the play-offs (two points) which would still allow for some hope. However, these will have to be fueled by a victory.
Cittadella also has two points to recover from eighth place. The Venetians receive the unsafe Feralpisalò, penultimate in the standings, who come to play for their remaining chances of reaching the play-offs at the Tombolato.
Serie B, matches of the 35th day
Friday 26 April
- Pisa-Catanzaro at 8.30pm
- Venice-Cremonese at 8.30pm
Saturday 27 April
- Brescia-Spezia at 2pm
- Modena-Sudtirol at 2pm
- Parma-Lecco at 2pm
- Ternana-Ascoli at 2pm
- Cittadella-Feralpisalò at 4.15pm
- Cosenza-Bari at 4.15pm
- Palermo-Reggiana at 4.15pm
- Sampdoria-Como at 4-3pm
Classification
Parma 70 points; Como 67; Venice 64; Cremonese 60; Catanzaro 56; Palermo 52; Brescia 46; Sampdoria (-2) 45; Pisa and Cittadella 44; South Tyrol 43; Modena and Reggiana 40; Cosenza 39; Ternana 37; Bari and Spezia 36; Ascoli 34; Feralpisalò 31; Lecco 26.
Markers
Joel Pohjanpalo (Venice) 20 goals; Matteo Brunori (Palermo) and Gennaro Tutino (Cosenza) 15; Daniele Casiraghi (South Tyrol), Massimo Coda (Cremonese) 14; Patrick Cutrone (Como) and Pietro Iemmello (Catanzaro) 13.
