There are 90 minutes left until the end of the regular season in Group A of Serie D. Some verdicts have already been written, others are still to be played in the final match of the championship, which will take place on Sunday 5 May. Alcione has already been promoted to Serie C, just as Chisola is confident of second place and therefore of having the advantage of home advantage in the play-offs. However, everything is open as regards the playoff zone, with the City of Varese who will have to defend third placewhich would mean playing at least the first match at “Franco Ossola” but being able to go through even in the event of a draw at the end of extra time.
The note is always the same: the Serie D playoffs most of the time serve just to close the season with a couple more matches. But while we’re at it, why not dance? The current situation between Serie B and Serie C seems to be much more controlled than in past years and at the moment there do not appear to be any companies in danger or in the process of going bankrupt in the professional panorama. All this even considering the rumors of a possible registration of the AC Milan Under 23 – which would remove a possible slot from the teams from Serie D -, which would further reduce the chances of repechage from the amateurs, not only for Varese.
Returning to the current events of the last championship, with a victory in Gozzano the red and whites will be sure to face the first round at home; this is due to the direct clashes in favor with Rg Ticino (2-2 in Romentino and 3-1 victory in Masnago), who are tied at 65 in the standings and will be engaged in Voghera against a team that is obliged to win for avoid playouts. If Varese and Ticino win, they will then be opponents in the first round of the playoffs at the home of the red and whites.
A point behind is the I go, who is hoping for a misstep between the two to recover positions. I guest of the champion Alcione; the Orange have been the dominators of the season and will want to honor their commitment to the end, also because the match will have a special setting: for the first time, in fact, Mr. Giovanni Cusatis’ boys will play at the Arena Civica, which will be their home among professionals.
And they also cradle playoff hopes Ligorna and Bra, tied at 62 and potentially still capable of overturning the grid. The Genoese will face the away match in Tortona, facing another team that wants to avoid the playouts; Bra, on the other hand, will finish at home against Asti, a team that is safe and doesn’t have much to ask for on the last day except for the pride of winning another three points.
In the lower areas of the ranking, however, everything is still in flux. They are already relegated mathematically Borgosesia and Pdhae but they risk going to Excellence without play-offs too the sunrise, which will have a direct clash in Pinerolo. If Mister Viassi’s boys were to lose and be 8 points behind the sixth from last – at the moment they are 5 behind Vogherese and Chieri – they could go down directly.
Returning from a Varese perspective, just one point is enough for the certainty of the playoffs, but a victory would close the season in the best possible way and would also give a good score for the post season. Gozzano is mathematically safe and in the recent past “D’Albertas” was a crucial pitch for the red and white seasons. In 2021 – on 16 May – a magic free kick from Giulio Ebagua in the 95th minute gave Ezio Rossi’s team an important point in their fight for survival (read here). A draw of great value that temporarily caused Gozzano to lose the lead in the league, which then won the championship, even if it ended up “rejecting” the promotion.
A year later, however, in February 2022, the 3-1 scored by Marcaletti, Cappai and Minaj (read here) gave the red and whites the right push to end the season in the best possible way and land in the playoffs, then won three months later in Sanremo.
Who knows if this time too Gozzano will be an important positive crossroads for Varese or if “May 5th” will take on a negative connotation even in red and white.
