The first round of the playoffs significantly reduced the number of possible opponents of the Benevento. Now the teams that the Giallorossi can meet in their debut in the national phase, next May 14th and 18th (home and away), there are 11, i.e. all the teams qualified for the second round of the group stage except Casertana, who if they beat Audace Cerignola will be the best fourth and therefore seeded by right, like the men of Auteri. No surprise, therefore, from the first round of the play-offs, other than Rimini’s victory in Gubbio (a few days earlier in the championship, the same match had ended 4-0 for the Umbrians, which clearly demonstrates that in the one-off match it can happen of everything).
Prediction widely respected and qualification also achieved for Picerno (2-0 against Crotone), Cerignola (1-1 against a never tamed Giugliano and passage of the round for the best ranking position), Taranto (0-0 against Latina, same story of Cerignola), Atalanta Under 23 (clear 3-1 against Trento, who had also taken the lead), Giana Erminio (3-0 against Pro Vercelli in a match without history), Juventus Next Gen (2-0 against Arezzo) , Legnago Salus (1-0 against Lumezzane) and Pescara (2-2 with Pontedera which was sufficient thanks to the sixth place achieved in the regular season). The other two fourth-placed teams from groups A and B, namely Triestina and Perugia, must be added. These are the formations that he will be able to cross paths with Beneventowho hopes to avoid excessively long journeys due to the fact that the draw of the pairings for the first round of the national phase will only take place on the morning of 12 May, i.e. the day following the matches of the second round of the group phase.
Having to play away from home on the 14th, the time available to the Cilento club manager to organize the trip would be very little. Therefore, if the Benevento should be forced to travel to Piedmont (Juventus Next Gen, which plays its home matches at the «Moccagatta» in Alessandria), to Lombardy (Atalanta Under 23, whose pitch is in Caravaggio in the province of Bergamo, or Giana Erminio, who plays their matches in Gorgonzola, in the province of Milan), in Friuli (Triestina), in Veneto (Legnago Salus, home at the «Mario Sandrini» stadium in Legnago, in the Verona area) or in Emilia-Romagna (Rimini), could not other than setting off by bus a day early. Finding trains or planes for a group of 40 people (including players, management staff, technical staff, medical staff, physiotherapists, warehouse workers) just a day and a half before departure would be practically impossible. The same goes for booking a charter flight.
In fact, the players have already been informed that, in the event of playing too far north, the Giallorossi group would travel on Monday 12th. It would be a different matter if the draw awarded the Samnites Cerignola, Picerno (convenient away trips), Taranto, Perugia or Pescara (a little less, but doable starting on the 13th).
From the matches of the second round of the group stage (Atalanta Under 23-Legnago Salus, Casertana-Cerignola, Perugia-Rimini, Pescara-Juventus Under 23, Taranto-Picerno and Triestina-Giana Erminio, all in a single 90′ match, with a draw the home team passes) 6 teams will come out, 5 of which will be drawn and one will be seeded like Benevento, Carrarese and Vicenza (the 3 third).
Meanwhile, the Giallorossi’s preparation for their playoff debut continues with a few too many hitches: yesterday’s session was essentially a relief session, with the coach and trainer Di Mauro who preferred not to force it. Absent Pastina (still in rehabilitation), therapies for Terranova (he will miss the next two matches and then we’ll see, but the quarter-finals would also be at risk), gym for Capellini (he resumes training today), while Ciciretti partially worked in the group and today, when you start sweating again with ordinary legs, you should be back at full speed.
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