It will be a Catania destined for play the playoffs starting from the national stageor a play-off in the playout zone? Playing for their hopes of promotion to B on the one hand, taking advantage of the unexpected victory of the Italian Cup in the category, and avoiding falling into D on the other. A paradoxical crossroads for a team built to excel in the championship and which, instead, finds itself in an absurd situation to say the least.
At this moment all attention is focused on making the category safe. Because Catania really risks big. The red and blues made many, too many mistakes in their matches. Dragging towards the current ranking situation, in view of a match that Zeoli’s team cannot make mistakes. Beating Benevento would mean definitively removing the nightmare of the playouts. A different result would put the people of Etna in a position to hope for favorable results from other fields. Better not to make calculations, thinking only and exclusively about winning against Benevento.
Yes, Benevento. A highly rated team, set up for a top championship and which will try to play its last chances to overtake Avellino in second place. Friendly fans, those from Catania and Benevento, but on the pitch we will have to fight for our respective objectives. They will prevail the motivations of a Catania that risks ending up in the abyss, or those of a team determined to finish as high as possible in the standings, and then give everything in the playoffs? Taking into account the investments made by the two companies, the one scheduled at the “Massimino” would be a clash of titans. However, the response from the field counts. Reality says that Catania has profoundly disappointed expectations but we need to save what can be saved and trials are useless now.
Certainly, the hope is to appreciate the best version of a Catania that this season has accustomed us to sensational thuds alternating with completely unexpected successes, disastrous performances or matches practically “not played” followed by performances of a much different technical and character quality, with the scent of an enterprise. This Catania is an unforeseeable team which, however, the best matches were played within friendly walls. In an “Angelo Massimino” stadium which it promises to be overflowing with cheer and passion this time tooalways supportive despite the countless difficulties.
For the occasion Zeoli recovers Rapisarda, Tello and Sturaro. The three could possibly enter the match in progress with Furlan (or Albertoni defending the posts); Monaco, Kontek and Castellini would act in the defense trio with Bouah and Cicerelli on the outside in midfield, Zammarini, Quaini and Welbeck in the middle; Di Carmine and Cianci partner up front. These are the main training hypotheses, not excluding other solutions. For example the use of Ndoj, or a player like Costantino (decisive in the Cup final with Padova), Chiarella (the “Stefania Sberna Award” to him) or Chiricò, at the center of a thousand criticisms recently following the Turris-Catania post. Marsura was unavailable, disqualified after a stupid reaction foul against Potenza. Tactically, however, Catania should side with the 3-5-2.
The match will be directed by Emanuele Frascaro of the Florence section assisted by assistants Fabio Catani (Fermo) and Marco Porcheddu (Oristano). Fourth official Erminio Cerbasi (Arezzo). Race visible on Sky/NOW. Kick-off at 6.30pm.
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