COSENZA The last match of the championship at the “San Vito-Marulla” stadium. The last one without thinking about the dream playoffs which, objectively, will be difficult to achieve. Cosenza, except with two days to spare, will face Spezia tomorrow afternoon who, however, is in full battle to avoid the playouts. Whatever happens, it will certainly be a day of celebration for the team and the people of Sila, returning from a year, yet another, full of uncertainties and relegation nightmares. The last three consecutive victories have brought enthusiasm and the desire to think about the future with more optimism back into the Sila environment. A future in which many hope there will still be Gennaro Tutino, the most prolific Italian striker between Serie A and B that Cosenza should redeem from Parma (the cost of the price tag is around two million euros) and then resell him at a higher price to a Serie A club or keep him for themselves with the promise of building a competitive squad around him. Perspectives, programs and illusions that will be addressed, at least so the fans hope, already in the next few days. Tomorrow, by beating Spezia, Cosenza could still hope for a sensational connection to playoff train, provided that we manage to beat Como away from home who are now one step away from promotion. As anticipated, it will not be easy at all considering the calendar Brescia and Sampdoria, eighth and week respectively in the rankings. The Lombards, three points away from William Viali’s boys, will face Lecco at home and Bari away in the next two matches, while Andrea Pirlo’s Blucerchiati will play against Reggiana and Catanzaro.
Viali: «Onesie? We have earned the time to take these steps”
The rossoblù coach William Viali who after the exploit in Ascoli had spoken of «healthy madness» to be played in the next two championship matches, this is how today he presented the match against Spezia. «After Ascoli we set ourselves many objectives – he said in the press conference –, a Cosenza record in Serie B to try to overcome which could automatically give rise to hope for something else, and then there is the desire to end the season at home in front of our audience with a great performance and keep up the enthusiasm that the team was good at creating. In short, there are many aspects to think about doing one vigorous race with the utmost respect for the opponent who is strong and has an objective to achieve.” Once salvation has been achieved, the doubt remains about the real value of Cosenza. Could this squad have done better? «This team – highlighted Viali – has always floated this season, so I’m talking about the period in which I returned to the bench. I arrive, after three days we play a bad game in Terni and we are two points away from the playout. So the situation wasn’t very simple. The Serie B championship is difficult and I believe that from then on the team was very good at restarting, getting rid of that famous handbrake we talked about some time ago and building something important. I believe salvation is not a given for seventy percent of the teams participating in this tournament». «I wasn’t treated badly when I returned here last March – continued Viali – I was a spectator, I observed a lot. I arrived here in a situation I didn’t know about, in which there were some imbalances that I tried to fix. The skill of everyone, mine, the staff and the company, was to analyze the situation as best as possible and to work from a mental aspect to make the team shine again and to enhance the high level qualities of the individuals which are not few in this team. Do I have any regrets about not staying in Cosenza after the Brescia playout? I would have liked knowing that I had a team with these qualities available from the start. But I honestly don’t know if starting from the beginning things would have gone well. Nobody can know». «These next two matches – the coach continued – will be important to give meaning to our championship, I hope the enthusiasm doesn’t die down, probably tomorrow we will bring to the stadium those who have been seconded during this season. So it is right to try to conquer them definitively from a future perspective.” On the reconfirmation of Tutino, the Cosenza coach did not go too far. «I’m sincere – he revealed – so far we have only talked about Spezia with the president, the management and the team. We have earned the time to make these steps and these reasonings, but at the moment it is right to remain focused on the next six or seven days of the championship. Then it is normal for everyone to make their own projections within themselves. Now let’s think about tomorrow, I don’t want there to be fulfillment, the players must do it above all for themselves, so as not to ruin the good things they have done so far. I would be very sorry if it didn’t happen.” The suspended Calò will be absent against Spezia. The use of Viviani in his place cannot be ruled out. (fra.vel.)
