A season of failure: in ten years the adjective that accompanies the concept has changed, from wonderful to disastrous. Since yesterday it has also had its waterloo, perhaps the lowest point (if it doesn’t get relegated) or a decisive point of a bottom still to be dug (if it gets relegated): Cosenza. What should have been a decisive match that should not be missed was instead transformed into yet another shameful page in a season that began badly, was set up worse and continued in an unseemly manner. However it will end, it is a failure: for the record (and only that) the seasonal objective – the one declared outright until a few weeks ago, the playoffs – has arithmetically vanished. In fact, they are ten points behind Sampdoria with three days to go. To be honest, Bari had never really been in the game, even when the points gap was minimal. But now there is even the nightmare of direct relegation, if the season ended today Bari would be in direct Serie C.
THE REVENGE OF EXES AND MISSED HITS. The heavy defeat of San Vito-Marulla does not affect anything on the arithmetic level (playout and direct salvation are only one point apart), but on the moral, gaming and credibility level it is a Waterloo in all respects. It was the revenge of the exes above all: from the assists by D’Orazio and Marras on the first two goals, to the goal by Tutino (he arrived in 2016 from Napoli’s spring, for a change) and that by Forte. Someone who had come very close to wearing the red and white in the last summer transfer session. But for Bari, evidently, there was no need for an expert attacker for the category. The consequences (also) of this choice manifested themselves throughout the tournament. Even when the team creates they struggle to throw it in and yesterday, apart from twenty minutes of pride with a goal from Nasti and a lot of hitting the post, a thrilling before and after followed: usual soft approach to the match with goals conceded, weakness psychological and team that melts at the first difficulties like snow in the sun. Not to mention that skirmish on the pitch between Sibilli and Nasti… not exactly the demonstration of a united group with a minimum of character.
PRESS SILENCE? RIGHT LIKE THIS. I’m sorry for the colleagues who traveled kilometers to do their job and interview the main protagonists, in the hope that someone would show their face. But looking at things with detachment, perhaps it is better this way: if the effect is to witness the usual clichés or, as often happens in these circumstances, arrogance and presumption, press blackout is acceptable. If a word is silver, silence is gold. Never like now, also because it would be a question of defending the indefensible. The alibis are over, but long ago. The time for trials – even partial ones – can begin. For it to end up as a failure, it will be necessary to re-establish everything from top to bottom. From President De Laurentiis to the last of the reserves – albeit with different degrees of responsibility, which we have mentioned in unsuspecting times – they are all guilty. Except obviously Giampaolo and his staff and, perhaps, also Iachini.
ANGUISH. It is the prevailing and clear feeling. Going from almost Serie A to almost Serie C in just 10 months is a Kafkaesque situation, in the last ten years that much desired rebirth has never happened. The 1500 who arrived yesterday in Cosenza received yet another slap but the rift with the team is now clear and even at the end of the match there was no lack of offenses against a team that had tried to apologize (?) in some way. Now there are Parma, Brescia and Cittadella: what can we hold on to to avoid a relegation which, to date, seems inevitable?
