Are we playing or not? Twenty-three days after the last official match, the derby against Triestina, Padova is ready to return to the field in the first act of the second national round of the Serie C playoffs in the derby against Vicenza with the unknown bad weather. The red alert reported by ARPAV for Tuesday 21 May does not allow players and enthusiasts to sleep peacefully, as they anxiously await the decisions of the technical table of the Prefecture with the competent authorities to understand if the conditions exist to play safely this evening at 8.30pm at Menti in Vicenza. The heavy rains expected in the next few hours, also in light of the damage last week in the Padua and Vicenza areas, call for caution, so much so that the possibility of the match being postponed is not so remote. The 1200 tickets available to the Padua fans were pulverized in 5 hours on Sunday, a sign that the desire to see this Padova at work is great. A derby that can be worth a season, the first step towards the Serie B dream with two coaches at the helm who know how to play (and win) certain matches.
The situation at home in Padua
Oddo gave his team serenity and calm during the conference, keeping the focus on his players. Kirwan, Perrotta and the long-term patient Russini are out due to physical problems. In short, we can talk about a mini defensive emergency, with reduced choices in that portion of the pitch for the coach from Abruzzo, who doesn’t cause drama: «We must try to have our identity, putting our qualities on the field and minimizing the defects. In these 180′ it will be the details that will make the difference, where whoever makes the fewest mistakes will take home the victory.” In the three preparatory friendlies, Oddo shuffled the cards, also bringing into condition the many players less used during the season, such as Zamparo and Tordini, who appeared decidedly lively against Treviso.
On the topic of training, Oddo has clear ideas. The initial formation will be the 4-3-3 with two safeties: the central defensive pair, made up of Delli Carri and Faedo and the offensive trident made up of Liguori, Bortolussi and Valente. Donnarumma in goal, while in defense there is room for Belli and Favale on the external lanes. In the middle of the pitch Crisetig seems untouchable in front of the defense, as does Fusi as a right midfielder. For the last place in the starting 11 there are 3 men competing for a shirt: Varas, Cretella and Dezi. The former seems to be the favourite, but surprises are not excluded.
These are Oddo’s squad:
GOALKEEPERS: Donnarumma, Mangiaracina, Zanellati
DEFENDERS: Belli, Crescenzi, Delli Carri, Faedo, Favale, Villa
MIDFIELDER: Bianchi, Capelli, Cretella, Crisetig, Dezi, Fusi, Radrezza, Valente, Varas
ATTACKERS: Bortolussi, Liguori, Palombi, Tordini, Zamparo
PADUA (4-3-3): Donnarumma; Belli, Delli Carri, Faedo, Favale; Fusi, Crisetig, Varas (Cretella); Liguori, Bortolussi, Valente
The situation at home in Vicenza
While waiting to understand whether the Bacchiglione river near the Menti stadium will overflow or not in the early afternoon, Vecchi’s Vicenza lives the day before with the awareness that the match against Padova is an early final. The red and white coach himself admits it: «The match against Padova could have been the final, but we know we have to be better than everyone else. What script can I expect at Menti? It will be tough for us. But it will be for them too, guaranteed!
Eighteen consecutive useful results, with the last defeat dating back to January 20th against Lumezzane, in Vicenza there is optimism and perhaps a thread of presumption, the result of a passage to the quarter-finals which took place with the authority of the team which also knows how to manage the phases of the race, measuring the strengths of many performers. Against the Biancoscudati Cavion will be missing in the middle of the pitch, a heavy absence for leadership and dynamism, but Proia recovers for the bench. 24 players have been called up by Mister Vecchi
Goalkeepers: Confente, Gallo, Massolo
Defenders: Costa, Cuomo, De Col, Fantoni, Golemic, Laezza, Lattanzio, Sandon
Midfielders: Greco, Mogentale, Proia, Ronaldo, Rossi, Talarico, Tronchin
Forwards: Busato, Conzato, Della Morte, Delle Monache, Ferrari, Pellegrini.
Vicenza (3-4-1-2): Confente; Cuomo, Golemic, Laezza; Talarico, Tronchin, Ronaldo, Costa; Of death; Ferrari, Pellegrini
The rest of the Playoff quarterfinals
1) Juventus Next Gen-Carrarese
2) Catania-Avellino
3) Benevento-Torres
4) Vicenza-Padua
Where to watch Vicenza-Padua
The match will be broadcast live on Sky TV on Sky Sport satellite channel number 254. Sky customers will also be able to follow Vicenza-Padova in live streaming thanks to the SkyGo app and on Now TV. The Menti match will also be broadcast live and unencrypted on TeleChiara (digital terrestrial channel 17).
