The last away match of the championship against a last resort opponent is for people with broad shoulders, good motivation and the intelligence to know how to isolate themselves from a predictably very hot context. In practice, it is another challenge that can prepare for the tensions – character and competitive – of the playoffs, because then on the technical and tactical levels Catanzaro is always in an iron barrel: «We have to cover our ears and push to the maximum, we face a different game from the others from an environmental point of view, but competitions of this kind are ideal for us.”
Vivarini hit the same button as in recent weeks: challenging Ternana at home, fighting not to be relegated, is the same as facing those who dream of Serie A. The Eagles are in good spirits after defeating one of these, Venezia, and can still hope for the fourth place occupied by Cremonese: «It is the path we wanted and are following, we needed energy and motivation, to acquire further awareness on what to do on the pitch even against teams like Venezia. In the last match, regardless of the result, the imagined performance came out and I hope to repeat it”, underlined the 58-year-old from Abruzzo.
Apprehension. The absences of Brighenti and Ambrosino are confirmed. The defender should return for Sampdoria, the attacker has almost certainly finished the championship and it cannot be ruled out that he will also have to give up the playoffs, at least this is what one can sense from listening to the coach: «It worries us because the violent blow suffered in the back the back with Venezia caused an effusion (rectus femoris, ed.) which the MRI does not clarify well, so we are waiting for further tests.” The troubles of the twenty-year-old are added to those – already assimilated – of Ghion and D’Andrea, who ended up under the knife: «And we hope not to lose other guys because we are all indispensable and now we will have to be even better at bringing out the best in us themselves.”
Situm returns to the basic 4-4-2 from suspension, but Sounas stops for the same reason: «It’s right that he rests too who, like Situm, is pushing hard. It is also important for us to evaluate the alternatives in that role.” At the “Liberati” it could be Stoppa’s turn (more than Brignola and Oliveri).
Twins. Without Ambrosino it is obvious that the goal twins, Biasci and Iemmello, will be back up front, while Donnarumma is ready to take over, as a former player, against the club of which he is still a player who joined the Giallorossi on loan: «Di Alfredo, more of what he has done, what counts is what he will have to do between now and the end in matches in which personalities and qualities like his will be fundamental.”
The rest of the lineup should not propose other variations unless (and it is difficult) one of Pompetti or Verna is preferred to Pontisso. In short, Vivarini doesn’t want to hear about turnover: «We always try to sip and rotate everyone a little to avoid fatigue, the five changes help manage energy and allow us to keep performance always high, but in case we have someone more under stress we’ll let him rest before the final rush.”
Primavera forwards Viotti and Rafele have been called up. In the first leg 2-1 on neutral ground in Lecce, goals from Biasci and Raimondo, a last-gasp penalty from Vandeputte: «They closed us down very well», recalled Vivarini. Compared to then, Ternana is different (Breda in place of Lucarelli) and more in trouble: «She is still well equipped and has top-level strikers», warned the Giallorossi coach. Catanzaro also has them, hoping that Ambrosino will also be back in the playoffs. Following the Eagles were 900 fans.
Probable lineups
Ternana: Vitali, Dalle Mura, Sorensen, Lucchesi, Casasola, Luperini, Amatucci, De Boer, Distefano, Pereiro, Raimondo. All. Breda
Catanzaro: Fulignati, Situm, Scognamillo, Antonini, Veroli, Stoppa, Petriccione, Pontisso, Vandeputte, Iemmello, Biasci. All. Vivarini
