We’re almost there. Bari and Moreno Longo could shake hands in the next few hours and embark on the same path arm in arm. Since the beginning of the week, the managers of Luigi De Laurentiis’ club have been in daily contact with the former Como coach. More than a feeling, there is a mutual intent to reach an agreement. It could materialize on a biennial basis. However, some details need to be refined in order to make everything operational. In this sense, the contribution of the new Bari manager Valerio Di Cesare, who has known Longo since his time in Giampiero Ventura’s Turin, when the Turin coach led the Granata Primavera, is proving to be important.
Feeling
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Moreno Longo’s bond with Bari has its roots over the years: his mother is originally from the old city. Not infrequently, as a boy, he spent holidays in the city of San Nicola, remaining fascinated by local habits and customs. There is more. The feeling with Luigi De Laurentiis’s company is not exactly new. The parties were also close last February, shortly before Bari shifted their attention to Beppe Iachini. Now Longo has another year of contract with Como in his pocket, but the obstacle would not be insurmountable given the coach’s firm desire to put himself back into question, moreover in an ambitious place, after the indigestible breakup with Como. As long as the i’s are not dotted, however, the Thin alternative holds. While the suggestive hypothesis of a return of Vivarini (welcomed by the club) is fading with the passing of the days. And with the position taken by Catanzaro, they would also have in their hands an agreement signed with Giuseppe Magalini, destined to take over Ciro Polito (relieved of his duties, with another year of contract) as sporting director. The catch is in a private agreement that binds the expert manager to Catanzaro, beyond the duration of the contract which will expire at the end of the month. Common sense will eventually prevail: the problem could soon be unraveled. Next week Luigi De Laurentiis would like to present both the new director and the coach.
First move
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We will start again from Giuseppe Sibilli. The operation – redemption from Pisa was closed on the basis of 600,000 euros, as per the agreement signed last summer by the two clubs. Overall, the deal amounts to 1.3 million euros: the twenty-seven-year-old playmaker is tied to Bari until 2027 for 220,000 euros per season. A necessary sacrifice (De Laurentiis had promised Sibilli that he would perfect his redemption), struggling with the need to move on after the last, disappointing, championship. It is therefore appropriate to start again from the most brilliant man of last season, Bari’s top scorer: Sibilli scored 11 goals during the championship as well as the last goal for the Bari team in the return match of the play-off against Ternana (0-3).
