It’s derby time. More precisely than “Derby del Secchia”.
However, the challenge between Reggiana and Modena seems to have never been as important and felt as it is today. First because it’s almost worth a season. Secondly, because since the former owner of Modena Romano Amadei and the former president Carmelo Salerno took over the helm of the Granata club, the rivalry between the two teams seems to have heated up even more.
HISTORY OF THE DERBY
The crossroads between Reggiana and Modena officially began on 12 December 1920, i.e. a year after the foundation of the Granata club, when the formula of the so-called “single group” was still very far away. In that year the Canaries were much more experienced than the Granata and prevailed with a very clear 6-0. The four subsequent matches (one also in the 1944 War Tournament) were all in Modena’s favour, with Reggiana achieving their first draw in the 1950-51 Serie B championship. The following year the Granata achieved a clear victory on their own soil (5-2) but at the end of the season they were relegated to Serie C and then even fell to the fourth series.
To see the Secchia Derby again we had to wait for the 1958/59 Serie B. The winner was again Modena – then owned by Zenit – even though that was one of the best seasons in Serie B for the Granata club, finishing fourth, just one point away from promotion.
Then many draws and a lot of balance in the matches that followed one another between the seventies and eighties.
FROM THE 60’S TO THE PRESENT
In 1968 there was the first of the six Granata successes at Braglia (1-0 in the Italian Cup with a goal by Crippa), while for the first victory in the championship Reggiana had to wait for the 1990/91 Serie B tournament when they took the Modena stadium by 2 -0 with goals from Melchiori and De Agostini.
Among the most recent comparisons, the two draws of the 2021/22 season in Serie C and the first leg match which ended 2-1 for the yellow and blue (Antiste’s goal and Pieragnolo’s late expulsion).
This time, however, the points are really worth a lot because both teams must stay in Serie B at all costs.
