28 points in the second round against Novara were not enough to secure direct salvation, the team coached by Giacomo Gattuso will have to wait for the play outs and the double match against Fiorenzuola, away on Sunday 12 May at the Pavesi velodrome, return seven days later at Piola, with Ranieri and his teammates who can remain in the professional ranks even by equalizing the goals scored, therefore with the advantage of two results out of three in favor. Also present in the final act of the regular season in the stands in Novara was Calo Manzetti, long-time manager of the Gaudenzians, with whom he also held the position of president in the unfortunate 1996/97 season in Serie C1, which culminated in relegation to the play out, in the double match against Pistoiese, after two draws and the disadvantage towards the Tuscans of the position in the standings at the end of the championship. Carlo Manzetti, with his father Vetilio, was in Serie D for a decade with Iris Borgoticino and then with Iris Oleggio, as well as a three-year period in Serie D in the Gozzano of the late owner Alberto Allesina.
«The Novara team that I saw on Sunday win with Urso’s brace against the Emilians, I believe has all it takes to present itself in the double match against Fiorenzuola in the best possible way – states Manzetti -. I am always in the stands at the Piola stadium suffering for the blue colors together with the historic managers Carlo Accornero and Mino Fortina, in addition to the new ownership of the Boveri family, a real fortune to have them at the helm of the Viale Kennedy club, together with the general director Pietro Lo Monaco , a man with great experience in the football that counts.”
Novara which, once it has achieved salvation, will be able to plan the future, which the square and a passionate and demanding fan base hopes will be able to give the satisfaction of the recent past, when the Azzurri in the third series were fighting for the top, winning the C1 twice in 2009/10 and in 2014/15 with the management of the De Salvo family, returning to Serie A after over half a century and to Serie B after more than thirty years.
Azzurri reborn from the corporate bankruptcy after the exclusion from the professionals in the summer of 2021. The restart with president Massimo Ferranti from the Serie D won in the 2021/22 championship. The last two years in Serie C with a tenth place and the exit in the first round of the play offs, losing 3-0 in Verona against Virtus in the first championship, in the current one the difficulties in the first part, the dismissal of Daniele Buzzegoli after eight matches with only four points collected with as many draws, 15 points at the end of the first leg, for a salvation that Gattuso’s team will have to go and get again in the double match against Fiorenzuola in the play outs. A “remake” that returns after more than twenty years, in C2 in the 2000/2001 season, where Novara obtained salvation, Fiorenzuola was relegated to Serie D. It was then fished out together with Cavese in place of Juve Stabia and Atletico Catania excluded for financial defaults or management irregularities.
FINAL RANKING Mantua 80; Padua 77; Vicenza 71; Triestina 64; Atalanta U23 59; Legnago 56; Pro Vercelli, Giana, Lumezzane 53; Trent 51; Virtus Verona 47; Pro Patria 46; Albinoleffe, Pergolettese, Renate 45; Arzignano 44; Novara 43; Fiorenzuola 38; Pro Sesto 35; Alessandria (-3) 20.
PLAY OFF
First phase – 1st round single match Tuesday 7 May
GROUP A: 5th/10th Atalanta U23-Trento; 6th/9th Legnago-Lumezzane; 7th/8th Giana-Pro Vercelli. 2nd round – single match Saturday 11 May, 4th Triestina enters.
National phase – 1st round, first leg Tuesday 14th, return leg Tuesday 18th May 3rd Vicenza enters.
2nd round – first leg Tuesday 21st, return leg Saturday 25th May, 2nd Padova enters
FINAL FOUR
semi-finals, first leg on Tuesday 28 May, second leg on Sunday 2 June. Final first leg on Wednesday 5th, second leg on Sunday 9th June.
PLAY OUT first leg Sunday 12th/return Sunday 19th May
GROUP A Fiorenzuola-Novara
LEGA PRO SUPER CUP
Sunday 5 May (5.30 pm) Mantua-Cesena (Juve Stabia rests); 2nd day Sunday 12 May; 3rd day Sunday 19 May. On the second day Juve Stabia against the loser of the first day or, in case of a draw, the one who played at home on the first day.
