“It will be difficult and long.” Coach Devis Cagnardi’s prediction coincides with that of captain Filippo Baldi Rossi. After all, the stakes are raised and the difficulties associated with the opponent increase.
For Cantù the semi-final series against Udine begins tomorrow at 6pm, at the PalaFitLine in Desio, after having already dealt with another Friulian, Cividale, beaten in four matches.
Difficult and long, the coach from Cantù predicts: «We face an equipped team, which has everything to aim for the victory of this championship, like us. However, the target is game 1, because we will need to approach this series with the right physicality, with the right concentration and with our public pushing us.”
«Deep roster»
Udine will be without Clark, but he has shown that he can make up for it: «Given that his absence doesn’t seem “official” to me yet, Udine is a team that has three foreigners under the turnover regime, although Delia hasn’t played lately. I expect to find a ready, prepared, mentalized team, with a deep roster and all those who will enter the field are players who can determine a single match. Yes, it is a team that resembles us in terms of characteristics, with players of structure and size also on the wings.”
The motivations on both sides are very high. Like Cantù, Udine has also been trying in vain for years to climb back to Serie A: «To think that in a playoff semi-final, any of the 24 players who will take the field could have a difference in motivation seems difficult to me. I expect two super motivated teams, who play hard and who are aiming for the final: a goal built from day one.”
Could the fewer match played by Udine and the one more played by Cantù make a difference? «I expected a 3-0 for Udine, against a Juvi team that, with the sales of Magro and Musso, perhaps had less ambition. But honestly they closed the series basically one day before us: with the rosters we have available and with the great motivations that drive us, I think the difference is minimal.”
«Not just Cannon and Gaspardo»
Will attention be focused on Cannon and Gaspardo? «They are certainly not the only hotshots, in a team that has many other players available who can impact a single match. I rather believe that we will have to be good at reading the situations that Udine will propose to us from time to time. A key player could be Monaldi; Caroti, on the other hand, knows how to rock the game from the bench. In addition, there are others who are efficient from an offensive point of view, and I’m thinking of Alibegovic.”
However, the satisfaction remains for having had a long week available, without losing any more energy in a game 5. And to overcome some small problems: «On the road we had Baldi Rossi and Burns with a fever. The start of the week brought us the same issue with Young. But, to date, the boys are all doing very well and are ready to take the field giving their best.”
